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B.C., federal government support dredging Vancouver’s Burrard Inlet, others opposed

British Columbia's energy minister has expressed support for proposals to deepen and dredge Vancouver's Burrard Inlet to allow oil tankers carrying maximum loads from the Trans Mountain pipeline, which has been in operation since May 2024.
The plan marks a shift from the stance the NDP government held several years ago, when John Horgan, then premier, pledged to actively block pipeline expansion. However, in 2020 the Supreme Court ruled that B.C. Does not have the constitutional power to prevent projects that cross provincial boundaries.
Dredging would allow Aframax-class tankers with drafts up to 16 metres to fill at Westridge Marine Terminal, but experts, environmentalists, and First Nations warn dredging raises ecological and cultural concerns.
Researchers state dredging increases water turbidity by suspending solids, harming phytoplankton and affecting fish, mammals, and salmon spawning while releasing pollutants trapped from decades of industrial use.
The federal government would lead the project, requiring rigorous environmental reviews and consultations especially with the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation, which has not yet received formal engagement and sees the seabed proposal as a serious concern.

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B.C., federal government support dredging Vancouver’s Burrard Inlet, others opposed

British Columbia's energy minister is backing plans to dredge and deepen Vancouver's Burrard Inlet to accommodate fully loaded oil tankers, despite concerns from environmentalists, experts and First Nations.

1 day ago·Waterloo, Canada

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