West Coast environmental groups have lauded a motion passed Tuesday in Ottawa calling on the federal government to legislate a formal ban on oil tanker traffic along B.C.’s north coast.
In a release Wednesday, Wilderness Committee campaigner and activist Ben West said the motion, which gained support from the Liberals, New Democrats and Bloc Québécois, was a major step forward in the fight against tanker traffic.
“This victory not only protects our own northwestern coastline, but is also an important step towards phasing out our reliance on fossil fuels, the leading cause of climate change,” said West.
But the campaign to ban tanker traffic along B.C.’s north coast is only one part of a larger movement to stop all tankers from docking in B.C. ports, including the Lower Mainland.
In September, West criticized the “wisdom” of allowing a “major crude terminal” to evolve in Burrard Inlet.
In an interview, Port Metro Vancouver COO Chris Badger said not only do petroleum product imports account for a small portion of the port’s overall business, but also tankers have plied Vancouver’s waters for decades.
“Ever since the Trans Mountain Pipeline was built over 50 years ago, we’ve had tanker traffic,” Badger said. “Now, it’s been cyclical like all commodities. There’s no two ways about it, but certainly we’ve had tankers here for decades with no incidents.”
He explained each tanker is inspected to ensure it meets Canadian standards before it docks, and each vessel must have two B.C. marine pilots on board to guide the ship into the harbour.
Tankers must also be double-hauled, be tethered to a tugboat escort, have a clear path and be brought in when there’s no current, Badger said.
More importantly, he explained tanker traffic is vital to the Lower Mainland’s economy.
Said Badger: “We as the Lower Mainland have increased our need for refined crude products … so a considerable amount of refined fuels are coming back into B.C. in order to feed the airport, to feed the economy,” he said.