The CEO of the Trans Mountain Corporation says he understands that a project of its magnitude has varying degrees of support and opposition across Canada
The plans to twin the pipeline from Edmonton to the B.C coast has seen years of delays, in part due to opposition by First Nations communities along the proposed route.
Ian Anderson says the Corporation has 57 signed impact benefit agreements with First Nations along the route, but he acknowledges that hasn’t stopped the protests.
“We see it from time to time in Burnaby where protest activity might slow down access into the site, so we account for that,” he said. “We do have a standing injunction in British Columbia that we are prepared to execute against with authorities should activity prevent us from working in a material way.”
Anderson says if people were to protest the construction of the pipeline, he’s hoping they do it without breaking the law.
This week, the Federal Court of Appeal in Vancouver is holding a three-day hearing as four BC Indigenous groups say they were inadequately consulted before the federal government issued its second approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.
The Tsleil-Waututh Nation, Squamish Nation, Coldwater Indian Band, and a coalition of Fraser Valley First Nations have concerns that include that shipments of bitumen delivered to port in Burnaby has the potential to endanger already threatened southern resident killer whales in the Salish Sea.
Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources says the government remains committed to consultations with Indigenous people.
Seamus O’Regan says the government has already done “a great deal” since the initial approval of the pipeline was scrapped by the Federal Court of Appeal over inadequate consultation.
“You know we have said from the get-go that they way to get things done is to do them the right way, and so we are trying to hit every mark that we can to make sure that we proceed with this project,” he said. “That is our intent.”
In August 2018, the court tossed out Ottawa’s first approval of the project citing insufficient environmental review and inadequate Indigenous consultation. Anderson says the three year construction timeline factors in potential delays due to protests.
“We are very welcoming to all expressions of all views. We know in the province of British Columbia, we know how important the marine environment is there. We have been tremendously active in that area to understand the concerns and make significant contributions to marine safety and the like,” he said.
“There always will be voices of opposition, we know that. As long as that’s done peacefully, and in a law abiding way, we’ll both be able to continue our work.”
