By now, most people have seen photos and read news accounts of the fuel spill that occurred on April 8th, 2015 in English Bay, the impacts of which are still being determined. It is important to note that Vancouver’s waters are under federal jurisdiction and are overseen by the Vancouver Port Authority while the Canadian Coast Guard is tasked with responding to such an emergency.
It is clear that the response to the spill in English Bay was both slow and poorly coordinated. It took over six hours for the Coast Guard to respond (from Richmond – 17 nautical miles from where the Kitsilano Coast Guard station, now closed, used to be) and 12 hours to notify the City of Vancouver. As different levels of government point fingers at each other, the bigger question remains: what would this have looked like if, instead of a grain ship purging fuel, it was an oil tanker? If, instead of 2700L it was hundreds of thousands of liters?
The Kinder Morgan project plans to twin the Trans-Mountain pipeline and dramatically increase the number of tankers carrying crude oil from the Tar Sands through Vancouver’s waters. The resulting increase in tanker traffic poses serious threats to the marine ecosystems, people and wildlife (not to mention the implications for our climate). We support the work of the City of Vancouver as they prepare a strong case of concerns for the Kinder Morgan project which will be presented to the National Energy Board reviewing the project. We agree with the City of Vancouver that it is our right as citizens to have a say in decisions that could endanger our ecosystem, economy and food supply.
To do our part, SPEC’s Energy Committee works to educate individuals, businesses and children about renewable energy and energy saving methods to reduce their energy footprint. SPEC offers opportunities for groups and individuals to view and learn about practical, long-term energy solutions to climate change. SPEC’s Zero Fossil Fuels Campaign raises awareness about the issues related to the use of fossil fuels in our community and educates people on how we could completely eliminate the use of all fossil fuels within the City of Vancouver using strategies that have already been implemented here or elsewhere.
If you are looking for a way to get more involved, become a SPEC member and/or volunteer with one of our committees or programs. You can also sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date with our campaigns.
We also encourage our supporters to check out the Georgia Strait Alliance, a citizen-led advocacy organization fighting for protection of the marine environment in and around the Georgia Strait.