The deadline for Kinder Morgan's pipeline injunction has passed, but protesters do not appear to be leaving Burnaby Mountain anytime soon.
Approximately 350 to 400 people gathered on Centennial Way on Monday at 3 p.m. for a rally against the pipeline - just an hour before they were supposed to clear out so Kinder Morgan can finish survey work. There were songs and speeches from First Nations representatives and activists, while the Burnaby RCMP looked on.
Elsie Dean, a member of Burnaby Residents Opposing Kinder Morgan Expansion, said the plan is to interfere with the company's work and stop the pipeline expansion.
"We don't want to be arrested, but we do want to continue the opposition. We do want to continue to inform people, because there are still a lot of people who don't know the seriousness of this whole thing," Dean said.
If push comes to shove, some BROKE members may resort to civil disobedience, but only if it is "really essential," Dean explained.
"I will do civil disobedience if it's necessary, if I can see it's going to accomplish something, because I take this very seriously," she said. "Moving forward, it's going to be a long fight. I'm just absolutely ecstatic about the way it's catching on and how people are responding, either quietly in some way or out like this, so I have great hopes we will turn this thing around and stop the tar sands."
Earlier in the day, the RCMP announced there would be no arrests, as they want to give people a chance to clear out.
"We have discretion to use the enforcement order when and where we wish," Staff Sgt. Major John Buis told the NOW.
Buis didn't want to speculate on what would happen if protesters refuse to vacate the premises.
"We don't want to arrest anybody," Buis said, adding they will if they have to. "We will be observing the protest camp. ... Are we going to be there 24 hours a day, seven days a week? I can't answer that."
Kinder Morgan did not send any work crews to the mountain Monday.
"Right now we are just assessing everything to see what our next steps are," said Lisa Clement on behalf of the Trans Mountain expansion project. Clement could not say when the company would resume survey work on Tuesday morning either. Kinder Morgan wants to tunnel through Burnaby Mountain, through a city-owned conservation area, as part of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.
Protesters have been keeping watch on the mountain for the past several weeks, with some even sleeping in the park overnight. They have an encampment set up on the side of Centennial Way, where Kinder Morgan wants to drill for soil samples. Some are also gathered at another bore hole site in a clearing in the woods.
Around 2:30 p.m. today, Trans Mountain representatives went to Burnaby Mountain to read out the injunction and enforcement order to protesters.
The B.C. Supreme Court injunction prevents the activists from blocking Kinder Morgan's survey work, which the company is trying to complete to meet a Dec. 1 deadline from the National Energy Board.
"Trans Mountain is hopeful individuals occupying the area will respect the order and exercise their rights to express their views in a respectful manner, while allowing our team to get the work completed," the company stated in a media release. "We hope those who oppose our project respect the decision and keep peace as we resume the work required. We believe it is possible for people to protest and express themselves while we commence our work safely."
The remaining survey work involves drilling two holes, roughly 250 metres deep, to take soil samples to help determine if the pipeline route is feasible.
Follow Jennifer Moreau on Twitter @JenniferMoreau.
