News Release - June 17, 2014

VANCOUVER / VICTORIA - The Wilderness Committee is expressing disappointment today after the federal government’s announcement confirming its approval of the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline. Despite widespread opposition to the project among British Columbians, the government has stated it is approving the controversial pipeline on the basis that the project must meet all of the 209 conditions indicated by the National Energy Board (NEB) in its final report last December.

“At the NEB hearings on Northern Gateway, only a few spoke in favour of the pipeline while almost 1,200 folks spoke out against it. Their voices were not heard,” said Eoin Madden, the Wilderness Committee’s Climate Campaigner.

Both the NEB and the federal cabinet have concluded that the pipeline was in Canada’s public interest, despite the majority opposition displayed by British Columbians in recent polls and throughout the public hearing process. The NEB refused to consider the topic of climate change – and the effect the pipeline will have on our climate – during their assessment of the pipeline.

“This proves beyond doubt that the federal government doesn’t care about BC and those of us who live here,” said Torrance Coste, Vancouver Island Campaigner with the Wilderness Committee. “Threatening coastal ecosystems and economies and exacerbating climate change isn’t in BC’s best interest, but unfortunately the Prime Minister still hasn’t learned that lesson.”

“Even if we were to avoid a tar sands spill along our coastline, we’ll still be burdened with the guaranteed spill of a hundred million tonnes of climate changing gases into our atmosphere every single year,” Madden said. “We know the true costs of this pipeline when it comes to our coast and our climate – and saddling British Columbians with these costs won’t fly.”

Despite the federal government’s approval, there are a number of roadblocks preventing the pipeline from moving ahead.  In particular, the NEB’s conditions require proof of adequate consultation with all First Nations affected by the pipeline, as well as mitigation and repair plans for their traditional territories. There are more than ten individual legal challenges against the project or its review, all of which require resolution before the pipeline can be constructed.

“Fortunately, we don’t expect that this short-sighted pipeline will ever be built. It's doomed to fail,” said Coste. “First Nations and the majority of British Columbians have said no again and again, and it’s a shame the government insists on fighting us every step of the way.”

The Wilderness Committee will continue to stand with First Nations, environmental groups, local governments, unions and citizens across BC in opposition to the Northern Gateway pipeline.

– 30 –

For more information, contact:

Eoin Madden, Climate Campaigner
eoin@wildernesscommittee.org
604-353-9603 (cell)

Torrance Coste, Vancouver Island Campaigner
torrance@wildernesscommittee.org
250-516-9900 (cell)

Photo: Crowds gather at the #NoEnbridge protest in Vancouver in May 2014 (Chris Yakimov via Flickr).