EDITORIAL – Suddenly, the Trans Mountain expansion is in more trouble

An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.

ALTHOUGH ACTIVITY on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion is a lot less visible in our region than it was a couple of years ago, there’s a critical piece of its route in our backyard causing big problems.

The new pipeline was supposed to be in service by the end of the year but it looks like there’s no chance of that.

The issue is at Jacko Lake, where TMX had planned to go through a 1.3 km. stretch using trenchless construction, in essence a micro tunnel, instead of digging trenches. Having found the area is solid rock, TMX now has serious second thoughts.

Since that was where the Ajax pit mine was once planned, it’s surprising Trans Mountain didn’t see it coming, but it didn’t. So now it wants to alter the route so it can go back to digging a trench from the surface.

Jacko is also known as Pipsell, a sacred cultural area, and the Stk’emlúpsemc te Secwepémc object to the change of plans because Trans Mountain had promised it wouldn’t disturb it.

The concern is understandable because digging pipeline trenches is a messy business. A right of way wider than a super highway is needed to move equipment around, pile up dirt and store the pipe.

The wreck it makes of the land is hard to appreciate unless you’ve seen it up close. So what will happen? If the Canada Energy Regulator doesn’t approve Trans Mountain’s request, it will presumably go back to the drawing boards on the tunnel idea but at a much higher cost.

The federal government bought the project from Kinder Morgan for a hefty $4.5 billion; the finished cost is now estimated at $30.9 billion or more.

A CER hearing wrapped up this week so we’ll know the verdict soon but it’s hard not to think it would have been best to let Kinder Morgan solve its own problems instead of handing over a taxpayer-funded bailout.

I’m Me Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.