It's an issue that has come up again and again in Burnaby over the past 14 years - should the city set up an emergency notification system for residents near the Chevron refinery?
Thus far, city council has not made it a priority. The NOW reported last year that the city was mulling over the idea and researching options. According to Burnaby's emergency program coordinator, the city has been researching the idea for years.
Two years ago, Chevron said it was in talks with the city about such a system and was willing to foot part of the bill.
On Monday, city council again delayed action, stalling on deciding whether or not to hire a consultant to update Burnaby's 2005 mass notifica-ions systems study.
The City of Burnaby wants a system that would cover all emergencies for all residents - not just in areas near the refinery or Kinder Morgan pipelines.
But Burnaby is an oil city. We don't extract oil, but veins of pipeline extend under our streets. The Chevron refinery sits cosily tucked away along the North Burnaby waterfront, near homes and parks and schools.
We may welcome the business both bring to our city, but we cannot put on blinders to the fact that there are risks involved, as we saw with the pipeline rupture in 2007 and oil seepage at the refinery in recent years.
Mayor Derek Corrigan has said the refinery falls under the federal government's jurisdiction, and he is unsure whose responsibility it is to issue emergency alerts.
But if no one - whether it be on the municipal, provincial or federal level - steps in to set up a system that would offer valuable information to Burnaby residents during an emergency, you can be sure there will be plenty of blame to be shared by all levels of government, should such an emergency take place.
