Burnaby city staff has released a 20-page report on the proposed Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, which recommends council oppose the project.
It is included in tonight's council meeting agenda.
"The proposal, as presented, would have significant risks and impacts on Burnaby's economic, social and environmental well-being," the report from the city's director of planning and building, Basil Luksun, stated.
The benefits for the city, region and province are not enough to balance the risks, he added.
The proposal to twin the pipeline would more than double its current capacity for transporting 300,000 barrels per day to 750,000, according to the report.
The report includes a summary of Kinder Morgan's current transportation services relating to Burnaby; an overview of the proposal; a review of risks, impacts and potential benefits to the city; and a review of the regulatory framework for pipeline development and operation at national, provincial regional and local government levels.
Issues such as environmental and public health impacts, land use, issues with major and minor spills, emergency response, and the local risks and impacts, were addressed in the report.
Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan said earlier in May that he was waiting on the comprehensive staff report before making any decisions regarding the pipeline.
The City of Vancouver passed a motion, introduced by Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson at a council meeting at the beginning of May, opposing the pipeline and demanding pipeline operators and tankers have enough liability insurance to cover the cost of an oil spill.
Vancouver Park Board also voted to oppose the pipeline expansion, at a meeting on April 30.
A spokesperson for Kinder Morgan said the company is communicating with the City of Burnaby throughout the consultation process on the proposed expansion.
"We have met with city staff about the proposed expansion and next steps - in particular the consultation process we are embarking on," Lexa Hobenshield wrote in an email to the NOW.
"We are in the early days of our expansion process," she added. "This process could take roughly five years - 18 to 24 months of consultation, up to 24 months of regulatory review, and about 18 months of construction if the proposal is approved. If approved, the proposed project would begin operating in 2017."
The company has safely and efficiently transported petroleum products to Greater Vancouver for nearly 60 years, she said.
Kinder Morgan is starting its consultation process, communicating with local communities, First Nations and Aboriginal groups, environmental organizations, and interested parties, Hobenshield wrote.
For more information from Kinder Morgan, contact the company's toll-free voicemail box at 1-866-514-6700.
