For Immediate Release - December 7, 2017

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Opponents of Kinder Morgan’s pipeline are shocked the National Energy Board is allowing the company to start work on its pipeline facilities without local permits. The regulator, which has long been derided as in bed with industry, announced today its ruling on Kinder Morgan’s notice of motion to bypass permits from the City of Burnaby.

“Today’s decision should shake British Columbians to their core,” said Wilderness Committee Climate Campaigner Peter McCartney. “Kinder Morgan has used a manufactured dispute with Burnaby to bypass the ability for cities to protect their residents and environment.”

Burnaby required the company to submit the paperwork, just like any other developer, before starting work on its tank farm and marine terminal. During the hearings, the city’s lawyer said Kinder Morgan had improperly filed for approval and refused to accept advice. He also suggested the company had intentionally botched its application in order to spark the dispute.

“With this precedent, the company can bully local governments all along the route into granting permits without the required information,” said McCartney. “That puts local residents and environments at risk.”

The cities of Chilliwack and Surrey made similar arguments in submissions to the board on the dispute in recent weeks. The National Energy Board has yet to rule on Kinder Morgan’s second motion calling for a process to settle any disputes over upcoming permits from other municipalities and even the provincial government.

“It’s outrageous that Kinder Morgan gets whatever it wants from our supposed regulator,” said McCartney. “They should not be surprised when people who have lost trust in the process take matters into their own hands.”

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For more information, please contact:

Peter McCartney | Climate Campaigner,  Wilderness Committee
778-239-1935, peter@wildernesscommittee.org