Feb. 2011
First inklings Kinder Morgan is serious about expanding Trans Mountain pipeline. It’s been “oversubscribed,” meaning shipping demand exceeds the volumes the line can handle, which is 300,000 barrels per day.
August to December 2011
The Wilderness Committee’s Ben West, the Tsleil-Waututh Nation and Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan come out against the pipeline expansion. Newly elected MP Kennedy Stewart is also raising concerns.
April 2012
Company announces $5-billion plan to expand pipeline to roughly 700,000 barrels per day. Plans include expanding the Westridge Marine Terminal in Burnaby, construction starting in 2016 and the project running by 2017. Kinder Morgan has not yet applied to the National Energy Board for project approval or held any public consultation sessions yet.
Aug. 2012
New group of local residents forms: Burnaby Residents Opposing Kinder Morgan Expansion. They hold a packed town hall meeting in September.
Dec. 15, 2013
Kinder Morgan files a facilities application, the official proposal to twin the line and expand the marine terminal and tank farm. The expansion, if approved, would increase the line's oil shipments, from 300,000 to 890,000 barrels per day. (Note the increase from 700,000). A record number of intervenors will apply to participate in the hearing.
Jan. 2014
Justin Trudeau tells Metro (Calgary): “I certainly hope that we’re going to be able to get that pipeline approved,” when discussing the Kinder Morgan pipeline.
Feb. 5, 2014
The NOW obtains a memo to some residents, stating the preferred pipeline route has changed. The company's "preferred" western route comes down the west side of Cliff Avenue, by the Drummond's Walk urban trail and the Burrard Inlet Conservation Area.
March 2014
Corrigan tells Global news he’s prepared to stand in front of a bulldozer to stop the pipeline, while Tsleil Waututh Nation launches legal challenge in May.
April 2014
Company now wants to drill route through Burnaby Mountain. The survey works leads to a standoff and court case with the City of Burnaby.
Nov. 2014
The battle over Burnaby Mountain heats up, and thousands of protesters descend on the site over roughly two weeks. More than 100 are arrested for breaking a court injunction to stay away, but all charges are dropped because the company had incorrect GPS coordinates for the no-go zone.
July 1, 2015
Liberal leader Justin Trudeau makes campaign stop in Burnaby but dodges questions on what, exactly, he would do with the Kinder Morgan pipeline portfolio. He says the Liberals will “engage in a new open process for all pipelines” and talks about the environment.
Oct. 2015
Liberals win, and Terry Beech takes Burnaby North-Seymour. Beech says "We are going to redo the National Energy Board process. We're going to broaden the scope. We're going to make sure it's objective, fair and based on science.”
Nov. 2015
Pipeline project costs go up from $5.4 billion to $6.8-billion due to falling loonie, delays and project changes.
Dec. 2015
Kinder Morgan files its final argument with the NEB, which then moves hearings to Burnaby. Hearings end Jan. 29.
Jan. 2016
The Canadian government said it plans to extend the Kinder Morgan pipeline review by several months to allow for an upstream greenhouse gas emissions assessment and more consultation with First Nations.
May 19, 2016
NEB announces its recommendation on the pipeline.
What’s next?
- If the NEB recommends the pipeline should be built, that doesn’t mean it will go forward, as the Liberal cabinet has the final say. The federal government has launched an extended review period, which include more Crown consultation with First Nations and a three-person ministerial panel to consult with communities and Indigenous groups along the pipeline route. The move pushes the final answer for Kinder Morgan from August to December of this year. Meanwhile, the provincial government also wants to conduct its own environmental review.
- Kinder Morgan will finalize the pipeline’s route through Burnaby as part of the detailed design phase in late 2016. Construction is scheduled for September 2017 to December 2019. The line should be up and running after that.
