City of Burnaby Released Risk Assessment of Burnaby Mountain Tank Farm and Westridge Marine Terminal
Press Release
September 5, 2024
səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territory/North Vancouver, B.C. – Today, the City of Burnaby released its risk assessment and computer simulation of potential major emergency events at the Burnaby Mountain Tank Farm and Westridge Marine Terminal.
səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) shares the grave concerns of the City of Burnaby and the Burnaby Fire Department about the significant and serious risks posed by a potential seismic event at Westridge Marine Terminal and the Burnaby Mountain Tank Farm. The Westridge Marine Terminal is directly across the water from the Tsleil-Waututh reserve, where our Members can see it from their living room windows every day.
Tsleil-Waututh finds the emergency scenarios that the City of Burnaby presented extremely disturbing, especially given how rapidly a fire could spread with severe cascading impacts that could follow. As Burnaby’s simulations demonstrate, a seismic event at the tank farm could trigger a catastrophic fire with far-reaching consequences to surrounding areas.
Similarly, a tank leak at Westridge Marine Terminal could put neighbouring communities at significant risk. Trans Mountain however, has regularly ignored Burnaby’s fire safety bylaws in its push to expand the pipeline and Westridge Marine Terminal—putting our communities at risk.
Tsleil-Waututh Nation has always maintained that the risks posed by this pipeline are significant. These are risks that would be borne by surrounding neighbourhoods and communities, as well as the ecosystems and animals that call these areas home. This is yet another example of the dangers this project presents to residents of Burnaby, Tsleil-Waututh Nation, and the Lower Mainland more broadly that have not been meaningfully addressed.
Tsleil-Waututh Nation looks forward to working closely with the City of Burnaby and other partners on Tsleil-Waututh territory to ensure we are as prepared as possible for any emergency situation. Tsleil-Waututh supports Burnaby’s efforts and will coordinate with them as appropriate.
“As a grandmother, I think about the children and young people attending school and university right next to the Trans Mountain and Westridge Marine Terminal. We have been preparing for a major earthquake in our region for decades. This video shows that the potential impacts of a major earthquake are now much worse with the Trans Mountain Expansion operating and I have lost sleep over the prospect of a catastrophic disaster like this.”
-Charlene Aleck, Councillor, səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation)
About the Sacred Trust Initiative
The Sacred Trust is an initiative of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN). Its mandate is to advance TWN’s governance, stewardship, and Aboriginal rights in TWN’s territory, including to protect the Nation from the risks that the Trans Mountain Pipeline poses. The Sacred Trust Initiative is grounded in TWN’s culture, spirituality, and law. TWN has a sacred, legal obligation to protect, defend, and steward the water, land, air, and resources in their territory. To learn more about the Sacred Trust Initiative, visit twnsacredtrust.ca
About səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh)
Tsleil-Waututh Nation is a First Nation whose territory centres around Burrard Inlet in the greater Vancouver region. Tsleil-Waututh have a Sacred Trust, a responsibility, to care for and restore traditional territory to its former state. Today, Tsleil-Waututh is more than 600 people strong and growing. The community draws on knowledge from Ancestors to remedy past wrongs, reclaim territory and traditions, and advance into a bright future. For more information on the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, visit twnation.ca
Media contacts:
Tsleil-Waututh Nation Communications
communications@twnation.ca
604-404-9070
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