Tag Archives: West Coast Environmental Law

Energy

Trans Mountain wants to sidestep fire safety bylaws at Burnaby terminal

By John Woodside,  National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Burnaby is fighting back against Trans Mountain’s request to be excused from certain fire safety plans.

In early December, the Crown corporation that is building a pipeline from Edmonton to a Burnaby terminal filed a request to the Canada Energy Regulator asking for a “constitutional declaration” that would allow it to build without having secured proper fire safety permits from the city. Since then, the city has mounted a defence and last week filed sworn affidavits accusing Trans Mountain of dodging critically important fire safety requirements.

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Energy, Indigenous Nations, Justice

How the Blueberry ruling in B.C. is a gamechanger for the Site C dam, extractive industries and Indigenous Rights

By Matt Simmons, The Narwhal, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

When B.C. Supreme Court Justice Emily Burke served her ruling on a long-fought case between Blueberry River First Nations and the province in late June, unequivocally determining the B.C. government breached  the Nations’ Treaty Rights by permitting and encouraging widespread  resource extraction, she noted B.C.’s regulatory regime for industrial  development is broken.   

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Environment, Indigenous Nations

Coastal First Nations take steps to protect wild waters of Great Bear Rainforest

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A coalition of coastal First Nations has achieved a significant step towards protecting the wild shores and waters of the Great Bear Rainforest on B.C’s central coast. 

The Heiltsuk, Kitasoo/Xai’xais, Nuxalk and Wuikinuxv nations signed an agreement with Ottawa and the province of B.C. to do a feasibility study for a national marine conservation area reserve encompassing a significant section of the coast and offshore marine waters alongside the Great Bear Rainforest (GBR). 

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Energy, Environment, Indigenous Nations

Ridley Island: Vopak’s Proposed Prince Rupert Export Terminal

By Matt Simmons, The Narwhal, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Ridley Island in Prince Rupert, B.C., is home to the region’s primary export  terminal. Freight trains rumble in 24/7, carrying goods like grain, coal  and — more recently — liquified petroleum gas, commonly known as  propane. Massive ships in the adjacent deep waters are loaded with this  cargo, mostly destined for transport across the Pacific. 

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Energy, Finances

Trans Mountain Pipeline: Support Becomes Opposition If Costs Rise

A new Nanos poll shows that even in British Columbia, most Canadians now accept the proposed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion – providing the cost does not rise too high. While 43% want to stop the oil and gas sectors expansion to reduce emissions; 47% believe we need the jobs. (These numbers are now 41.8% and 48.1%, respectively, in BC.) However this support becomes opposition when respondents were asked if the government should borrow money to complete the project.

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