Using feedback received from the City of Burnaby, residents and Indigenous groups, FortisBC has decided on the preferred route a new natural gas pipeline should take through the city.
The British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is preparing to replace the Pattullo Bridge and its design standards do not permit a gas line to be on the new bridge. “The line is a vital part of our gas system, helping deliver energy to more than 35,000 homes and businesses in Burnaby, New Westminster and Coquitlam. This includes approximately 18,000 customers in Burnaby,” a press release from FortisBC reads. The decision follows the City of Burnaby council unanimously rejecting the first proposed route back in July 2020.
Since then, FortisBC has selected an alternate route based on feedback received last year from Burnaby to stakeholders, Indigenous groups and the community as part of an engagement period.
Still to be approved by the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC), the preferred gas line route would take the following path:
- Start near the intersection of Sperling Avenue and Lougheed Highway, and finish near the intersection of 16th Avenue and 4th Street
- Largely follow Sperling Avenue and Glencarin Drive north of Highway 1, and Lakefield Drive and 4th Street south of the highway
- Include a new underground facility near the intersection of 16th Avenue and 4th Street
Melanie Kilpatrick, Pattullo Gas LineReplacement project director at FortisBC says the feedback received from the people of Burnaby was a valuable step in the decision.
“Our work with the local community including the City of Burnaby is a great example of the benefits that can be achieved through early and meaningful engagement,” Kilpatrick said.
FortisBC is also working with the City of Burnaby to design and build a new cycling and walking path along the proposed gas line route. The same press release states the goal of this initiative is to “provide a lasting local benefit from the project and thank the community for its patience during construction.”
James Lota, deputy director of engineering at the City of Burnaby says the city appreciates FortisBC addressing the previous feedback.
“We look forward to the creation of a new multi-use pathway that the community will be able to enjoy for decades as part of the shift to more sustainable ways of travel,” Lota said.
FortisBC spent about two years replacing its gas line starting in Vancouver and heading east through Burnaby and into Coquitlam, resulting in a series of long road closures along the way.
A decision on the proposed route from the British Columbia Utilities Commission is expected this summer.
- With files from Chris Campbell
