The City of Burnaby has decided to not oppose Trans Mountain as the Crown project asks a federal regulator to overrule the city to allow it to cut down 86 more trees.
Trans Mountain has applied to the Canada Energy Regulator (CER) after the city refused to grant a street works permit for access near North Road on the Burnaby/New Westminster border.
The city said in a letter that it is not opposing the request because it figures CER will just side with Trans Mountain on the issue.
"This does not indicate support and should not be interpreted as agreement with any of the facts or legal positions put forward by Trans Mountain,” reads a city letter to CER about the issue. “The CER has previously ruled on similar applications."
CER has previously ruled in Trans Mountain’s favour as the project applied to cut down more than 1,300 trees along the Brunette River.
The destruction continues. These are by your kids school, a salmon stream, childcare, church. @CityofBurnaby
— PPSTMX (@PPSTMX1) August 10, 2021
"Of the new trees to be cleared, 44 are located off of North Road, 10 North of Shellmont Street, and 32 in the Stoney Creek area." https://t.co/SElAILSvoT
The tree cutting has been a flashpoint for local Trans Mountain opponents. Some have occupied trees in the area for more than a year in protest.
