The president of Kinder Morgan Canada is asking opponents of its Trans Mountain pipeline expansion to be “lawful and respectful,” a day after the project secured federal approval.
Ian Anderson says he is confident the $6.8-billion development will be built starting next fall despite promises of protests, court challenges and civil disobedience in British Columbia from environmentalists, indigenous groups and community leaders.
But he also says the company will be prepared for opposition that could mirror protests at Burnaby Mountain last year that held up test drilling and resulted in more than 100 arrests.
On a conference call today, Anderson said he was encouraged by Premier Christy Clark’s comments that five conditions necessary for provincial support were close to being met.
The conditions include advanced oil spill response systems, First Nations consultations and financial benefits for the province.
The expansion would triple capacity to about 890,000 barrels per day of oil on the 1,150-kilometre pipeline route between the Edmonton area of Alberta and Kinder Morgan’s marine terminal in Burnaby, B.C.