Kamloops council has voted against a proposal to have Trans Mountain reroute part of its pipeline.

Denis Walsh was the only councillor in favor of his motion, calling for the Canada Energy Regulator to order Trans Mountain to reroute its pipeline that goes under residential properties in Westsyde.

Councillor Arjun Singh says councillors aren’t pipeline experts and have to go off what they know.

“There’s a lot of debate around the current pipeline expansion, but one thing that I think clear to me is the current pipeline is safe. That’s it’s actually something that has operated well. I’m really concerned that Westsyde residents would feel like we didn’t do due diligence… I think it’s safe.”

The TMX pipeline expansion will run under Lac du Bois but the existing two pipelines under Westsyde (the pipeline is twinned from Darfield to Kamloops) will still run.

“I have no idea what the ramifications are if we twin it through Lac du Bois sensitive grasslands. I have no idea with what’s in front of me. So for me to ask for such a major change when having no clue, other than it’s moving from A to B, I just can’t support that… other than it looks good on paper,” councillor Mike O’Reilly says.

Part of Walsh’s motion argues that even if a risk of a spill is not imminent, it could be at some point.

“I guess I disagree in the idea that steel does not change appreciatively, and I think the key word would be appreciatively over the years. Because 66 years of running a product through a pipeline, overall I would say the record is good but in North America there’s a number of pipelines that are even newer than this pipeline that have had problems.”

Before the vote by council, during public inquiries, Trans Mountain spokesperson Kate Stebbings told councillors that all heavy crude oil will go through the Lac du Bois line when it’s finished instead of Westsyde.

“Although the neighborhood has built up over the pipeline and around the pipeline – schools have been developed, homes are coming close to the right-of-way – the pipeline does not go under any structures. And this is mandated by our regulator, which is now the (CER).”

Stebbings also says there have been 84 spills along the pipeline since 1961, and says only three have happened outside of pump stations in the last 40 years.

Construction on the pipeline expansion in Kamloops could start as soon as this spring.