Burnaby Mountain Location in Coast Salish Territories

100-300 Centennial Way

Kinder Morgan has begun surveying conservation and parkland on Burnaby Mountain, unceded Coast Salish Territories. The giant US oil pipeline company plans to clear parkland and build a helicopter pad in preparation for boring a tunnel through the Northridge of Burnaby Mountain contrary to city bylaws.

The purpose of the tunnel will be to transport crude tar sands oil from the storage tanks at Forest Hill to Westridge Terminal. Many geologists and seismologists are concerned that the Northridge will be subject to extreme shaking in the event of even a moderate earthquake putting at risk the pipeline, the huge oil storage tanks at Forest Hill and the Aframax tankers at Westridge terminal. A moderate earthquake to the huge tanks, pipeline and terminal would make the 2007 pipeline spill at Westridge minor in comparison.

To help protect conservation and parkland and to support the enforcement of city bylaws, residents of BC will meet on Burnaby Mountain overlooking the proposed helicopter pad. The convergence of people will take place on September 13 at 2:00 PM.

The convergence of people is a celebration of conservation and parkland with music and speakers. The City of Burnaby will issue a stop work order as soon as Kinder Morgan crews begin clearing land or disturbing wildlife, but people must rally to show support to protect Burnaby Mountain and the entire Burrard Inlet. People have power only if they work together.

Music and speakers TBA

"At the heart of a democracy is the idea of publicness: what are the needs, views, and challenges of the public? What is of public concern, and who and what composes this idea of the public sphere? Public—belonging to the people—the notion of our shared locales and times, the shared resources we depend upon, and our shared responsibilities to each other and to these places and resources: this is, ultimately, what we mean by democracy.

"Now, what might we, the general public, make of the National Energy Board’s decision to allow Big Oil company Kinder Morgan access to public lands—despite public concerns and the opposition of duly elected civic representatives—to begin exploration for its pipeline expansion? What are we to make of this private company entering a public park and nature preserve to cut a right of way, and clear for a helipad, for the expansion of its private profits? What are we to make of this company’s proposal to drill through Burnaby Mountain, sending its pipeline through this park, and under a public university? Add to this the fact that these are the unceded lands of the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation, which has been steadfast in its opposition to Kinder Morgan expansion, and there is only one thing we can conclude: this is a colonial land-grab and an anti-democratic public outrage. And there is only one thing we, the public, can do: get up, stand up, and defend what we all share and depend upon—clean water, a liveable climate, and a safe and healthy public sphere." - Dr. Stephen Collis, Simon Fraser University

Residents of Burnaby and the Lower Mainland are opposed to Kinder Morgan's (KM) proposed pipeline expansion project, from the Alberta tar sands to Burnaby, which would pose significant health and environmental risks to our community while bringing very few benefits by way of jobs or revenue.

This past week, KM began performing surveys in parkland adjacent to Burnaby Mountain, in preparation for geotechnical testing related to the possibility of boring a tunnel through the western section of mountain for their proposed tar sands pipeline. KM also intends to build a helicopter landing pad on the mountain.

The City of Burnaby opposes the pipeline project and has denied the company a permit for the work. In response, KM submitted a request to the National Energy Board (NEB) to confirm their rights to access City of Burnaby public lands. The NEB ruled that federal legislation gives Kinder Morgan the power to enter and conduct surveys and tests on any Crown or private land that lies on their intended pipeline routes. The City has filed a constitutional challenge, saying the route would go against municipal bylaws.

The NEB dismissed the challenge, but did not, however, grant an access order to KM, which officials with the City of Burnaby are interpreting as leaving them able to continue to enforce their bylaws.

"In their response, the National Energy Board did not deny our assertion. Instead, they merely offered an interpretation of Section 73a of the National Energy Board Act. We will, therefore, continue to enforce our bylaws, ensuring that Kinder Morgan does not access Burnaby parkland and the Brunette Conservation area on which they want to perform deleterious actions that would contravene the laws put in place by our City and citizens to protect our parkland," Burnaby mayor Derek Corrigan said.

“The NEB refused to address the City of Burnaby’s constitutional question,” said Burnaby’s legal counsel, Greg McDade, QC. “By refusing to grant an access order, they ignored the question completely, meaning that Kinder Morgan still cannot access Burnaby’s land without the City’s permission.”

The NEB Act does not empower the Board to make orders that override municipal jurisdiction or bylaws. Local citizens are now mobilizing to express our opposition to allowing KM access to our public lands in preparation for building their proposed pipeline expansion. The answer is "NO". Please join us! - Ruth Walmsley, Burnaby Residents Opposing Kinder Morgan

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