The Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee for the Trans Mountain Expansion and Existing Pipeline completed a joint inspection with the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office.
This marks the first time the Indigenous monitors have conducted an inspection with a provincial regulator.
Read more:
‘Canada Day can be a difficult time’: Reflecting on the Indigenous Community during GTA ceremonies
The IAMC-TMX Indigenous Monitors wrapped up the inspection in Hope, B.C. after examining the line between Chilliwack and Hope over three days, which started June 26.
“We were out primarily focusing on issues that are important to Indigenous communities,” Raymond Cardinal said, Indigenous Monitoring Subcommittee’s chair.
“Protection of Indigenous sites, looking at harvesting sites that are important to nations along the pipeline and we looked at some archeological sites as well.”
He continued, “for the most part, things looked in good order. There were some issues we identified that we will be working with the regulator and company going forward.”
Read more:
Indigenous youth group holds powwow at former residential school in Mission, B.C.
The inspection also included the Westridge Marine Terminal, the Burnaby tank farm and sites in the metro Vancouver area.
During the three-day inspection the Indigenous Monitors and the B.C. EAO looked at the Burnaby tank farm where 14 new tanks are being built in anticipation of the end of the construction.
They also visited two sites near Vancouver where archeological artifacts had been found and reported to regulators and Indigenous groups.
“Opening the door to inspections with the BC provincial regulator is an important step forward and the start of a special relationship between the Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee and the B.C. EAO,” Cardinal said.
On the final day of inspection the focus was on inspecting Culturally Modified Trees, adherence to the B.C. EAO’s conditions and Indigenous expectations and standards of practice.
The IAMC-TMX Indigenous Monitoring program began as a pilot program in 2017. Since its inception over 170 inspections have been completed with the federal regulators.
