Real estate agents trying to slap the sold sign on a house for sale anywhere near an oil pipeline in B.C. are facing a hard sell. According to a poll commissioned by Burnaby-Douglas MP Kennedy Stewart, nearly 70 per cent of British Columbians would either balk outright or think twice about buying a house with a pipeline as a neighbour.
The New Democrat MP commissioned the poll because of complaints from constituents that the proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline twinning project is already affecting their property values.
“The top complaint from people in my riding about a new Kinder Morgan pipeline is the negative impact this proposed project is already having on their ability to sell their homes,” said Stewart.
“Some homeowners living along the proposed pipeline route tell me they cannot sell their homes now or are not getting reasonable offers.”
Stewart wanted to find out what other British Columbians thought, so he commissioned the opinion survey. The poll suggests in Metro Vancouver, 68 per cent of people would either have strong reservations or would not buy a home near a pipeline. The figures were nearly identical for Vancouver Island (70 per cent) and the Southern Interior (67 per cent).
The concern level dropped in Northern B.C., where 60 per cent said they would have strong reservations or would not buy.
“The results of this poll reinforce what I have heard from property owners living along the proposed pipeline routes,” said Stewart.
“Kinder Morgan needs to answer the questions that property owners have and highlights why residents need to get involved.
The online survey was conducted from Nov. 13-15 among 803 randomly selected adult B.C. residents who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.4 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
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