U of G joins 45 other vigils across Canada against Kinder Morgan pipeline
On Mon, Nov. 21, a vigil was held in Branion Plaza at the University of Guelph in protest of the Kinder Morgan Pipeline.
Many people on the west coast have been concerned about the proposed Kinder Morgan trans-mountain pipeline. The new pipeline would link the oil sands of Alberta to the harbor in Vancouver, B.C., allowing oil to be moved for export. Protests have been held since construction of the pipeline was proposed in April 2012, and this week, the voices of those demanding the pipeline be reconsidered reached Guelph. This gathering was only one of 45 vigils that were held across the country in an attempt to spread awareness and make their voices heard.
Over 45 members of the community braved the cold November air to stand in solidarity against the decision to construct the Kinder Morgan pipeline. When asked why it was important to him, Ben Stuart, one of the organizers of the vigil, explained that, if someone is aware of the situation, they have a responsibility to do something about it.
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The new expansion of the pipeline stands to triple the capacity of oil that can be transported from the oil sands to the west coast. This means adding a roughly 1150 km route to the already existing pipelines, according to a release from Trans Mountain, moving crude oil across the country. This new addition would increase the amount of oil being exported, allowing for a potential increase in revenue generated for the Canadian economy. However, many people are concerned with these plans and fear the detrimental effects that could result from potential oil spills.
If the pipeline were to rupture, the water supply of many Canadian residents could become contaminated, and many species living near the pipeline could also be detrimentally affected by the pipeline’s presence.
On Nov. 7, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that improvements would be made to oil spill cleanup strategies, according to an article published by CBC News. Though these improvements are welcomed by most, many believe that this is not enough. There is no guarantee that if the pipeline is built there will not be a spill, and to many, this poses a major concern.
Kinder Morgan already has a speckled history of spills throughout North America. Most recently, a spill in early 2012 poured roughly 110,000 litres of heavy crude oil from a storage facility in Abbotsford, B.C. Though this spill seems to have been contained, with very few impacts on the environment surrounding the facility, it was an abrupt awakening to the fact that spills do happen.
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With more oil being exported from oil sands, an increase in tanker traffic is expected, which poses a potential threat to the environment of west coast harbours. Many of the species off the coast of British Columbia are already feeling the stresses associated with a major port. To increase that stress could cause detrimental effects to those ecosystems.
Many members of the community who attended the Guelph vigil were not only concerned about the environmental impacts of the pipeline, but also the social injustice regarding the rights and opinions of the indigenous groups whose land would be affected should the pipeline be built. As many as 50 different indigenous groups, most notably the Tsleil-Waututh people of British Columbia, have already openly expressed their concerns about the potential pipeline expansion. Though the pipeline expansion is planned to follow a pre-existing route, many indigenous leaders are concerned that the pipeline could threaten their way of life.
A decision does not have to be made regarding the pipeline until Dec. 19, 2016, but many people at the vigil expressed their hope that Prime Minister Trudeau will shut down the proposed plans.