The controversial practice of shale gas fracking is no longer welcome within the boundaries of Burnaby, despite the city being nowhere near Northern B.C.'s wells.
Burnaby city council passed a resolution recently calling for a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing until more is known about its potential impacts on human life and the environment.
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, injects highly pressurized water, sand and chemicals down a well to crack rock formation deep below in an effort to get at natural gas and other petroleum deposits.
The shale gas exploration process has been around for 60 years but has risen in popularity in the last 10 years across Canada and the U.S.
"While hydraulic fracturing is not an issue of local concern in Burnaby, the city has from time to time advocated on environmental matters which have provincial or national significance," the department of engineering report states.
Hydraulic fracturing raises concerns because of its use of freshwater in great volume, its disposal of wastewater, groundwater contamination and the potential for air pollution.
"The difference between hydraulic fracturing and other resource extraction technologies is the maturity of the scientific research on its impacts to the receiving environment," the report states.
Coun. Dan Johnston said fracking is currently occurring in Northern B.C., and one of its other potential problems is that it may cause earthquakes and consume fresh water at an alarming rate, with no real means to get it back.
At Monday night's meeting, Coun. Sav Dhaliwal echoed Johnston's concerns about losing water, but also the toxic chemicals going down with it.
A copy of the Burnaby resolution is being sent to the federal minister of environment, the B.C. minister of environment, the Union of B.C. Municipalities and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
The city's motion is in response to a Council of Canadian request to prohibit hydraulic fracturing.
