VANCOUVER, B.C – Leading business groups Conversations for Responsible Economic Development (CRED), the Board of Change, and the Green Chamber of Commerce BC are calling on the federal government to add measures to the Kinder Morgan review that will reflect the concerns of coastal businesses. The business groups and their numerous member businesses and organizations outline concerns in an open letter to Prime Minister Trudeau that asks for additional measures that will accurately estimate how bitumen behaves in coastal waters, take into consideration the economic risks of a significant spill, and allow for rigorous cross-examination of the evidence presented so far.
Prominent business leaders and entrepreneurs in the high tech, tourism, renewable energy, finance and creative sectors are concerned that the business case for the Kinder Morgan pipeline is weak. Michael Tippett, CEO of Wantoo says “We need to be assured that our government is looking out for our best economic interests far into the future. I’m not confident that this pipeline review has done that to date”.
The signatories urge the Prime Minister to take action on his commitments to subject the project to a review that is open and inclusive, and to ensure that the business case and potential impacts to BC businesses – especially those dependent on a healthy marine environment – are fairly assessed.
CRED Program Director Andrew Grant comments, “As business people, we know that investors and project proponents need certainty. As it currently stands, even with recently announced interim measures of increased First Nations consultations and inclusion of upstream GHG emissions, many BC businesses have significant concerns about the review and approval process. It is in the best interests of all stakeholders – including the proponents – to have the review conducted under a mandate that Canadians consider valid, and that demonstrates the rigour we would expect in fully acknowledging and addressing project risks.”
In August of last year, 35 intervenors stepped away from the review process because it was seen as flawed, biased and unfair. Meeru Dhalwala, co-owner of celebrated local restaurants Vij’s and Rangoli, says “I am not convinced that the project has undergone any form of fair examination.”
Board of Change Director and Hamazaki Wong Marketing Group Creative Director Sonny Wong echoes the need for a robust, fair review of the Trans Mountain expansion: “BC’s unique brand is integral to establishing ourselves as the hub of the new economy. If this one project has the potential to significantly impact the brand that businesses depend on to attract talent and investment, that project needs to be very carefully considered, in a process that has the support of British Columbians.
Interim measures announced last week by Ministers Carr and McKenna are unlikely to clarify the economic case for the project, and may not effectively capture the risks that other BC businesses face by an oil spill along the BC coast. The signatories feel it is important to do the hard work now of conducting a review process that is effective, transparent and has the support of Canadians before potentially subjecting a major infrastructure project to significant resistance from local residents, affected businesses, First Nations and governments at the provincial and municipal levels.
BC business groups encourage the federal government to protect the long-term prosperity of Canadians by carefully considering this proposed pipeline expansion that could impact our economy for 40 years or more.