Opponents of the Northern Gateway oil pipeline say Enbridge's plan to improve the project is more about public relations than safety.

Ben West of the Wildnerness Committee is slamming Enbridge's plan to spend an extra 500-million dollars to thicken the pipeline walls at river crossings and conduct more inspections.

"From Day 1, they've been telling us that their original was as safe as could be. Now they're in the middle of a public relations disaster and all of a sudden they're willing to spend more money on safety. Makes me wonder why they were telling us what they were proposing for years now was safe."

Enbridge faced criticism last week after a U.S. report condemned the company for its handling of an oil spill in a Michigan river two years ago.

West adds the safety improvements still aren't enough because other factors are outside of the company's control, such as natural disasters and human error.

Photo: A map shows the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline route. Courtesy of Enbridge.