Vancouver tanker traffic rises tenfold after TMX project

Data gathered by a Simon Fraser University professor reveals that tanker traffic in Vancouver's Burrard Inlet has surged tenfold since the expanded Trans Mountain pipeline became operational this summer.

David Huntley, a professor emeritus at SFU's physics department, reported that publicly available data shows that, until May of this year, an average of two tankers per month loaded oil from Trans Mountain's Westridge Marine Terminal. However, in June and July, that number spiked to an average of 20 tankers per month, with a similar figure expected for August.

Huntley's findings were confirmed by Trans Mountain, which informed CBC News via email that 65 vessels had been loaded since the pipeline's expansion was completed in May, allowing large volumes of oil to flow from Alberta's oilsands to the Port of Vancouver.

The sharp increase in tanker traffic has sparked concerns among activists and the B.C. government, who worry about the potential impact of an oil spill on Metro Vancouver's waterways and shorelines.

"It's a very sudden change, which, of course, is to be expected because there's an awful lot more oil [that] can be sent down the pipe," Huntley commented.

The $34-billion Trans Mountain pipeline expansion has been contentious since the federal government purchased it in 2018. The project is expected to nearly triple the flow of crude oil from Alberta to Canada’s Pacific Coast to about 890,000 barrels per day. Trans Mountain stated in March that pipeline production volumes would gradually increase until it reaches full capacity in 2025-2026.

Protests Against Increased Tanker Traffic

On Sunday, environmentalists staged a protest in Vancouver against the rise in tanker traffic due to the oil shipments.

"This company and this government are willing to put the people here at risk because they want more profits. This is morally repugnant," said Tim Takaro, an SFU professor emeritus of health sciences, who has previously been jailed for protesting the pipeline.

"We demand that the government stop shipping these tankers through these waters until there is a plan to protect the people. And to be honest with you, that plan, of course, must include the end of the fossil energy industry here in Canada."

Trans Mountain, in a section on its website, states that it is collaborating with the Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC) to prevent spills. The WCMRC claims it has over 200 responders and 80 vessels ready to act in the event of a spill, with multiple response bases operating 24/7.

Provincial Concerns Over Spill Preparedness
The provincial government, which opposed the pipeline expansion all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada, has also raised concerns about the impacts of a potential oil spill on Vancouver's coastline. The B.C. government has pointed out that WCMRC's spill response plan has not been updated since 2021.

George Heyman, B.C.'s environment minister, said the provincial government has sent a letter to Ottawa requesting a review of the pipeline project's spill mitigation plans.

"We don't know that the plan has been suitably updated. We have not received a response to our letter," Heyman told Stephen Quinn, the host of CBC's The Early Edition.

"I understand why people want the traffic flow of tankers to remain at a low level until certainty is given. We can't do that," Heyman added. "Only the federal government through Transport Canada can do that."

CBC News reached out to Transport Canada for comment but had not received a response by the time of publication.