Victoria Council Slams Proposed West Coast Oil Pipeline

The city council of Victoria has weighed in against the proposed West Coast Oil Pipeline, which would carry up to one million barrels of crude oil per day from Alberta to Delta. The pipeline is a central component of an energy agreement between the federal and Alberta governments.

Declaring a project to be in the national interest allows the federal government to fast-track approvals and skirt some environmental laws. Ottawa is taking submissions on the national-interest designation until September 18th.

Councilor Susan Kim, who suggested the council motion, said that the federal government is ignoring the climate crisis with the pipeline. 'We are looking at misting stations, cooling stations like it's part of the new normal when it really shouldn't be,' she said.