By Dan Hilborn
Published Sept. 13, 2006
The Burnaby fire department's hazardous material team went back to school for a brief time on Thursday afternoon as they cleaned up a minor chemical spill in the science department at Simon Fraser University.
A small amount of boric acid powder was apparently mixed with water and the resulting fumes caused respiratory problems for one person who was treated at the scene, said assistant fire chief Les Strange.
"It was more of a training exercise than anything," Strange said. "It was a pretty minor incident."
The chemical is typically used in antiseptics, flame retardants and insecticides, and can be found naturally in volcanic ground.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
City takes Norampac to court over waste
By Dan Hilborn
Published Sept. 9, 2006
The City of Burnaby is taking one of its largest industrial landowners to court after an alleged illegal landfill was found in the Big Bend region.
A statement of claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court says Norampac Paper Inc. failed to get the necessary city hall approval after it received a provincial waste permit allowing it to discharge up to 8,000 dry tonnes of waste on its 19-hectare (46.9-acre) property.
"Basically, they've been stockpiling the material rather than recycling it so, in fact, we've been misled," said Coun. Dan Johnston, chair of Burnaby's finance and civic development committee and its environment committee. "We've been receiving complaints from neighbouring facilities."
The Norampac property is at the south end of Wiggins Road, adjacent to the Fraser River, and was recently rezoned by the city, against the wishes of the four affected property owners. The new zoning plan requires property owners to adhere to more rigorous environmental guidelines before any new uses or developments are permitted on the land.
According to court documents, the provincial Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks issued Norampac an amended solid waste permit in or about 2001. "In issuing the permit, (the ministry) specifically advised the defendant, Norampac Paper Inc., that the permit would be issued without consideration of Burnaby bylaws," said the statement of claim, prepared by solicitor D.W. Yule, Q.C.
The documents also claim that Norampac initiated the waste landfill operation "in order to avoid the expense associated with incinerating the waste materials or having it hauled offsite to a designated landfill."
The landfill had grown to an alleged size of 15,000 cubic metres before city staff discovered the operation in the spring of 2004, said the documents.
Genevieve Boyer, communications coordinator at Norampac's head office in Quebec, said she was unable to comment on the court proceedings.
However, she noted that the company is "currently not using the landfill site."
Boyer referred all other questions to company president, Marc- Andre Depin, who was unavailable for comment prior to Burnaby NOW deadlines.
The statement of claim alleges that the landfill operation is in violation of three separate Burnaby bylaws - the soil deposit bylaw, the zoning bylaw and the unsightly premises bylaw.
The city's soil deposit bylaw prohibits the deposit of any sand, gravel, rock and other materials on any land without a permit from the Burnaby's municipal engineer.
"No such permit has been issued," said the document.
The suit also claims that the landfill will "render the property impracticable for future subdivision and development."
The lawsuit also claims that Burnaby began seeking voluntary compliance from Norampac in 2004 but imposed a deadline of March 31, 2006 on the cleanup operation, after the company gave assurances that it was working towards compliance by way of incinerating parts of the waste material and hauling the remaining materials to an offsite designated landfill.
"Despite Burnaby's attempts to obtain voluntary compliance and despite Burnaby's warning that legal action would be taken unless the waste landfill operation stopped, the defendants have, by their own admission, continued or permitted to continue the waste landfill operation on the property," said the statement of claim.
The city's lawsuit is only the latest in a string of troubles for the paper recycling facility.
In August 2002, an estimated $1 million worth of recycled paper was destroyed when a fire struck the site, and just two years later, the operation was closed for eight months when its unionized employees went on strike.
Earlier this year, the GVRD also filed suit against Norampac asking for $1.5 million to pay for steam supplied by the neighbouring Montenay garbage incinerator. That suit was subsequently suspended, said Bill Morrell, manager of communications with the GVRD.
Published Sept. 9, 2006
The City of Burnaby is taking one of its largest industrial landowners to court after an alleged illegal landfill was found in the Big Bend region.
A statement of claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court says Norampac Paper Inc. failed to get the necessary city hall approval after it received a provincial waste permit allowing it to discharge up to 8,000 dry tonnes of waste on its 19-hectare (46.9-acre) property.
"Basically, they've been stockpiling the material rather than recycling it so, in fact, we've been misled," said Coun. Dan Johnston, chair of Burnaby's finance and civic development committee and its environment committee. "We've been receiving complaints from neighbouring facilities."
The Norampac property is at the south end of Wiggins Road, adjacent to the Fraser River, and was recently rezoned by the city, against the wishes of the four affected property owners. The new zoning plan requires property owners to adhere to more rigorous environmental guidelines before any new uses or developments are permitted on the land.
According to court documents, the provincial Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks issued Norampac an amended solid waste permit in or about 2001. "In issuing the permit, (the ministry) specifically advised the defendant, Norampac Paper Inc., that the permit would be issued without consideration of Burnaby bylaws," said the statement of claim, prepared by solicitor D.W. Yule, Q.C.
The documents also claim that Norampac initiated the waste landfill operation "in order to avoid the expense associated with incinerating the waste materials or having it hauled offsite to a designated landfill."
The landfill had grown to an alleged size of 15,000 cubic metres before city staff discovered the operation in the spring of 2004, said the documents.
Genevieve Boyer, communications coordinator at Norampac's head office in Quebec, said she was unable to comment on the court proceedings.
However, she noted that the company is "currently not using the landfill site."
Boyer referred all other questions to company president, Marc- Andre Depin, who was unavailable for comment prior to Burnaby NOW deadlines.
The statement of claim alleges that the landfill operation is in violation of three separate Burnaby bylaws - the soil deposit bylaw, the zoning bylaw and the unsightly premises bylaw.
The city's soil deposit bylaw prohibits the deposit of any sand, gravel, rock and other materials on any land without a permit from the Burnaby's municipal engineer.
"No such permit has been issued," said the document.
The suit also claims that the landfill will "render the property impracticable for future subdivision and development."
The lawsuit also claims that Burnaby began seeking voluntary compliance from Norampac in 2004 but imposed a deadline of March 31, 2006 on the cleanup operation, after the company gave assurances that it was working towards compliance by way of incinerating parts of the waste material and hauling the remaining materials to an offsite designated landfill.
"Despite Burnaby's attempts to obtain voluntary compliance and despite Burnaby's warning that legal action would be taken unless the waste landfill operation stopped, the defendants have, by their own admission, continued or permitted to continue the waste landfill operation on the property," said the statement of claim.
The city's lawsuit is only the latest in a string of troubles for the paper recycling facility.
In August 2002, an estimated $1 million worth of recycled paper was destroyed when a fire struck the site, and just two years later, the operation was closed for eight months when its unionized employees went on strike.
Earlier this year, the GVRD also filed suit against Norampac asking for $1.5 million to pay for steam supplied by the neighbouring Montenay garbage incinerator. That suit was subsequently suspended, said Bill Morrell, manager of communications with the GVRD.
Living on the streets
City needs to do more to help: Councillor
By Dan Hilborn
Published Sept. 6, 2006
The cold weather of fall is fast approaching, and the City of Burnaby is doing precious little to look after its growing population of homeless people, says veteran city councillor Gary Begin.
"Burnaby did a lousy job last year in terms of providing shelter for people in need," Begin told the Burnaby NOW last week. "There's a lot of people that live in Central Park. They live and sleep under the awning at the Robert Prittie library.
"Winter is coming, and we go through these monsoon periods where it just rains and rains, and we leave these people to sleep under a cardboard roof some place. That's just not acceptable to me.
"The City of Burnaby is very wealthy in terms of real estate. We have houses we could probably zone for a shelter, but the mayor has said outright that he does not want a permanent shelter in Burnaby.
"I do not buy that, and I will not buy that. ... We are a very fortunate community which has a lot of resources available, and I think we need to respond to this," he said.
Begin is hoping to avoid a repeat of what happened last winter when Burnaby was an unwelcoming place for the homeless. Although an emergency homeless shelter was opened at the Burnaby Alliance Church during the final cold snap of the season in late February, poor communication resulted in nobody making use of the facility.
Begin believes the homeless problem is growing in Burnaby, and the most recent statistics back up that claim. In March 2005, a region-wide homeless count found 40 people living on the streets of Burnaby, more than double the 17 homeless people found during the previous homeless count in 2002.
And even though city hall officially joined the Fraser Health Authority's Burnaby homeless task force last February, it appears that a formal proposal to address the issue is still months, if not years, away.
But Lynn Wood, executive director of the Progressive Housing Society, said there is some good news on the homelessness file.
Progressive Housing recently received a grant from B.C. Housing to hire three outreach workers, and Wood is now working with the Lookout Emergency Aid Society to put together a proposal to provide some kind of affordable housing in the community.
"We're trying to find a building to get people off the street and connected to the services they need," Wood said. "It's a community social problem, so there's a lot of shared responsibility.
"The longer term issue is a homeless shelter in the community of Burnaby. I'm not really sure who would be stepping up to take that responsibility at this point.
"We have tried to provide our expertise and interest in serving that population," she said. "But it takes a lot of components - lands, building and money, both for capital and operating funds. And those dollars generally for non-profits are not easy to come by."
Coun. Colleen Jordan, chair of the city's community development committee, is confident that Burnaby will have another emergency shelter open this winter, but she agrees with Mayor Derek Corrigan that the bulk of responsibility for the homeless file lies with the federal and provincial governments.
"We're not in the social housing business. That's not our jurisdiction," Jordan said.
The big problem, according to Jordan, is that the provincial government has not yet allocated a $200-million fund set up by the previous federal government to deal with the homeless issue.
"Not a nickel has been allocated since the spring of '05," said Jordan. "Some of it is supposed to be going for shelters for the most desperate, but nothing has been done.
"If people or groups like Progressive Housing could have applied, you could be on the road to getting some kind of facility up and running."
When asked how long it might take to build and open a homeless facility in the city, Jordan said: "I don't know. Again it depends on funding and it depends on finding a location. We've had a few churches step forward and say they could provide emergency funding, and the Salvation Army are great. They're doing their best. But having a place, ... I don't know."
Jordan also said that the city might consider a low- cost land lease to allow a non-profit agency to operate a homeless shelter, but that would depend on a specific proposal, and nothing official has come forward.
"There might be some sympathy on council to give a reduced rate, but some of the facilities going up around the province are pretty substantial and, in general, the feeling at council is that we're not into social housing."
That cautionary note was echoed by Corrigan, who is adamant that the primary responsibility for the homeless issue lies with the federal and provincial governments.
"Gary (Begin) is just trying to stir things up as much as possible," the mayor said.
"He says what we need is an overnight place for them to stay. I'm sorry. It's not that simple.
"What we need are treatment facilities for people with mental illness. Giving them a place to sleep at night doesn't change any of that."
Corrigan pointed his finger at the provincial government, which he said has redirected much of the federal money intended for housing into other programs, such as extended care in the Health Ministry.
"I'm more than happy to pressure the provincial government, but I disagree strongly that the solution is a flophouse. ... Let's not take the easy route," said the mayor.
Corrigan also said that a recent report from SFU assistant professor Marina Morrow reinforces his view because it ties the issue of homelessness to a series of cutbacks of services for people with mental illness over the past five years.
Meanwhile, Wood said the Burnaby homeless task force will begin a public awareness campaign this fall, and she is confident a temporary shelter will be in place before the coldest weather of winter descends.
"My preference is to have the shelter planned so we know the location well in advance and we can make that information available to all the agencies," she said.
"The other thing is to build a level of trust with people on the street so we're not driving around in the middle of the night looking for people to take to the shelter."
Wood also pointed to the recent closure of an illegal 25-bed rooming housing on the east side of the city as an indicator of underlying problem.
"Something like that says to me that there is a lack of affordable housing in the community," she said.
"When something like that occurs, it's usually because people are trying to find a cheap solution."
By Dan Hilborn
Published Sept. 6, 2006
The cold weather of fall is fast approaching, and the City of Burnaby is doing precious little to look after its growing population of homeless people, says veteran city councillor Gary Begin.
"Burnaby did a lousy job last year in terms of providing shelter for people in need," Begin told the Burnaby NOW last week. "There's a lot of people that live in Central Park. They live and sleep under the awning at the Robert Prittie library.
"Winter is coming, and we go through these monsoon periods where it just rains and rains, and we leave these people to sleep under a cardboard roof some place. That's just not acceptable to me.
"The City of Burnaby is very wealthy in terms of real estate. We have houses we could probably zone for a shelter, but the mayor has said outright that he does not want a permanent shelter in Burnaby.
"I do not buy that, and I will not buy that. ... We are a very fortunate community which has a lot of resources available, and I think we need to respond to this," he said.
Begin is hoping to avoid a repeat of what happened last winter when Burnaby was an unwelcoming place for the homeless. Although an emergency homeless shelter was opened at the Burnaby Alliance Church during the final cold snap of the season in late February, poor communication resulted in nobody making use of the facility.
Begin believes the homeless problem is growing in Burnaby, and the most recent statistics back up that claim. In March 2005, a region-wide homeless count found 40 people living on the streets of Burnaby, more than double the 17 homeless people found during the previous homeless count in 2002.
And even though city hall officially joined the Fraser Health Authority's Burnaby homeless task force last February, it appears that a formal proposal to address the issue is still months, if not years, away.
But Lynn Wood, executive director of the Progressive Housing Society, said there is some good news on the homelessness file.
Progressive Housing recently received a grant from B.C. Housing to hire three outreach workers, and Wood is now working with the Lookout Emergency Aid Society to put together a proposal to provide some kind of affordable housing in the community.
"We're trying to find a building to get people off the street and connected to the services they need," Wood said. "It's a community social problem, so there's a lot of shared responsibility.
"The longer term issue is a homeless shelter in the community of Burnaby. I'm not really sure who would be stepping up to take that responsibility at this point.
"We have tried to provide our expertise and interest in serving that population," she said. "But it takes a lot of components - lands, building and money, both for capital and operating funds. And those dollars generally for non-profits are not easy to come by."
Coun. Colleen Jordan, chair of the city's community development committee, is confident that Burnaby will have another emergency shelter open this winter, but she agrees with Mayor Derek Corrigan that the bulk of responsibility for the homeless file lies with the federal and provincial governments.
"We're not in the social housing business. That's not our jurisdiction," Jordan said.
The big problem, according to Jordan, is that the provincial government has not yet allocated a $200-million fund set up by the previous federal government to deal with the homeless issue.
"Not a nickel has been allocated since the spring of '05," said Jordan. "Some of it is supposed to be going for shelters for the most desperate, but nothing has been done.
"If people or groups like Progressive Housing could have applied, you could be on the road to getting some kind of facility up and running."
When asked how long it might take to build and open a homeless facility in the city, Jordan said: "I don't know. Again it depends on funding and it depends on finding a location. We've had a few churches step forward and say they could provide emergency funding, and the Salvation Army are great. They're doing their best. But having a place, ... I don't know."
Jordan also said that the city might consider a low- cost land lease to allow a non-profit agency to operate a homeless shelter, but that would depend on a specific proposal, and nothing official has come forward.
"There might be some sympathy on council to give a reduced rate, but some of the facilities going up around the province are pretty substantial and, in general, the feeling at council is that we're not into social housing."
That cautionary note was echoed by Corrigan, who is adamant that the primary responsibility for the homeless issue lies with the federal and provincial governments.
"Gary (Begin) is just trying to stir things up as much as possible," the mayor said.
"He says what we need is an overnight place for them to stay. I'm sorry. It's not that simple.
"What we need are treatment facilities for people with mental illness. Giving them a place to sleep at night doesn't change any of that."
Corrigan pointed his finger at the provincial government, which he said has redirected much of the federal money intended for housing into other programs, such as extended care in the Health Ministry.
"I'm more than happy to pressure the provincial government, but I disagree strongly that the solution is a flophouse. ... Let's not take the easy route," said the mayor.
Corrigan also said that a recent report from SFU assistant professor Marina Morrow reinforces his view because it ties the issue of homelessness to a series of cutbacks of services for people with mental illness over the past five years.
Meanwhile, Wood said the Burnaby homeless task force will begin a public awareness campaign this fall, and she is confident a temporary shelter will be in place before the coldest weather of winter descends.
"My preference is to have the shelter planned so we know the location well in advance and we can make that information available to all the agencies," she said.
"The other thing is to build a level of trust with people on the street so we're not driving around in the middle of the night looking for people to take to the shelter."
Wood also pointed to the recent closure of an illegal 25-bed rooming housing on the east side of the city as an indicator of underlying problem.
"Something like that says to me that there is a lack of affordable housing in the community," she said.
"When something like that occurs, it's usually because people are trying to find a cheap solution."
House tenants evicted
By Dan Hilborn
Published Sept. 2, 2006
Burnaby council has called for the immediate eviction of all the tenants of a 25-bed rooming house that was built in contravention of the city's zoning bylaws.
A report from the city planning department notes that unauthorized alterations have turned the former corner store and warehouse at 8098 12th Ave. into a large rooming house, complete with 25 sleeping rooms, five bathrooms, three kitchens and one large common room.
The fire department has also ordered the building owner, Yen Chen Chen, to remove all unauthorized plumbing, gas and electrical installations.
Staff have also been instructed to place a formal notice of contravention at the B.C. Land Titles Office indicating that the building is in contravention of the city bylaws. Council approved the recommendations without comment at its Aug. 28 meeting.
Published Sept. 2, 2006
Burnaby council has called for the immediate eviction of all the tenants of a 25-bed rooming house that was built in contravention of the city's zoning bylaws.
A report from the city planning department notes that unauthorized alterations have turned the former corner store and warehouse at 8098 12th Ave. into a large rooming house, complete with 25 sleeping rooms, five bathrooms, three kitchens and one large common room.
The fire department has also ordered the building owner, Yen Chen Chen, to remove all unauthorized plumbing, gas and electrical installations.
Staff have also been instructed to place a formal notice of contravention at the B.C. Land Titles Office indicating that the building is in contravention of the city bylaws. Council approved the recommendations without comment at its Aug. 28 meeting.
Rivers Day event set
By Dan Hilborn
Published Sept. 2, 2006
The revitalization of Still Creek will be the focus of the World Rivers Day celebrations in Burnaby on Sept. 24.
City council has instructed its staff to find corporate sponsors and to get more community involvement for the city's 14th annual celebration of local waterways.
Council also approved a long list of activities for the event, including:
- invasive plant removal and information sessions;
- riparian (creekside) planting activities;
- creek clean-ups;
- library displays;
- free tours of the Wildlife Rescue Association garden;
- free Central Valley Greenway bike tours;
- free paddling trips on the Still Creek corridor;
- free ecology walks with English- and Mandarin-speaking guides, offered by the Green Club;
- educational displays and activities; and
- food for event participants.
The city will also send letters to the owners of all commercial and industrial land abutting Still Creek in an attempt to raise awareness of the city's new stormwater management plan, titled From Pipe Dreams to Healthy Streams.
The city will also lend its support to other Rivers Day events, such as the Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-up sponsored by the Vancouver Aquarium and projects conducted by local schools, Scout troops and other community agencies.
Although B.C. Rivers Day has been celebrated by environmentalists and other activists for the past 25 years, it did not become a formal celebration until Burnaby resident Mark Angelo encouraged city hall to proclaim the event in 1993. Last year, Angelo helped to convince the United Nations to formally declare the last Sunday in September as World Rivers Day.
EDMONDS FESTIVAL MONDAY
The 14th annual Taste of Edmonds community event - formerly known as the Big Pig Gig - is set to run on Labour Day Monday.
The festival, which features a bouncy castle, dunk tank, barbecue and games, typically attracts about 3,500 people to the neighbourhood around Southside Community Church, near Kingsway and Edmonds.
City hall has approved the closure of Arcola Street between Walker and Hall Avenues, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., to accommodate the Sept. 4 event.
HANNA COURT KIDS' FAIR
The Burnaby Children's Centre, which operates two day cares on Hanna Court, near the Edmonds SkyTrain station, is hosting its fourth annual street sale and kids' fair on Saturday, Sept. 16.
The day-long outdoor event will feature games and activities, plus tables of vendors selling clothing, toys and other goods that cater to children. The event is expected to attract approximately 150 to 200 people.
Council agreed to close Hanna Court from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the day in question to accommodate the event. The street is located one block south of the B.C. Hydro head office on Southpoint Drive, near the newly opened Taylor Park elementary school.
TOY RUN ARRIVES OCT. 1
The annual Christmas Toy Run motorcycle ride will travel through Burnaby on Sunday, Oct. 1, this year.
The annual event, which typically attracts several thousand motorcycle riders, provides toys for children of needy families throuhout the Lower Mainland. In Burnaby, the most notable impact from the charity event is a series of street closures and parking restrictions.
As usual, the toy run will result in a no-parking restriction on the westbound lane of Hastings between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. In addition, all north-south access across Hastings will be blocked between the hours of 10 a.m. until approximately 12 p.m., except for three access roads - Willingdon, Holdom and Cliff Ave., where traffic will be queued up and allowed to cross at 15 minute intervals.
The city intends to send notice of these changes to all north Burnaby residents by Sept. 15, and large 'advance warning signs' will be installed on streets along the parade route by Sept. 22.
Published Sept. 2, 2006
The revitalization of Still Creek will be the focus of the World Rivers Day celebrations in Burnaby on Sept. 24.
City council has instructed its staff to find corporate sponsors and to get more community involvement for the city's 14th annual celebration of local waterways.
Council also approved a long list of activities for the event, including:
- invasive plant removal and information sessions;
- riparian (creekside) planting activities;
- creek clean-ups;
- library displays;
- free tours of the Wildlife Rescue Association garden;
- free Central Valley Greenway bike tours;
- free paddling trips on the Still Creek corridor;
- free ecology walks with English- and Mandarin-speaking guides, offered by the Green Club;
- educational displays and activities; and
- food for event participants.
The city will also send letters to the owners of all commercial and industrial land abutting Still Creek in an attempt to raise awareness of the city's new stormwater management plan, titled From Pipe Dreams to Healthy Streams.
The city will also lend its support to other Rivers Day events, such as the Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-up sponsored by the Vancouver Aquarium and projects conducted by local schools, Scout troops and other community agencies.
Although B.C. Rivers Day has been celebrated by environmentalists and other activists for the past 25 years, it did not become a formal celebration until Burnaby resident Mark Angelo encouraged city hall to proclaim the event in 1993. Last year, Angelo helped to convince the United Nations to formally declare the last Sunday in September as World Rivers Day.
EDMONDS FESTIVAL MONDAY
The 14th annual Taste of Edmonds community event - formerly known as the Big Pig Gig - is set to run on Labour Day Monday.
The festival, which features a bouncy castle, dunk tank, barbecue and games, typically attracts about 3,500 people to the neighbourhood around Southside Community Church, near Kingsway and Edmonds.
City hall has approved the closure of Arcola Street between Walker and Hall Avenues, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., to accommodate the Sept. 4 event.
HANNA COURT KIDS' FAIR
The Burnaby Children's Centre, which operates two day cares on Hanna Court, near the Edmonds SkyTrain station, is hosting its fourth annual street sale and kids' fair on Saturday, Sept. 16.
The day-long outdoor event will feature games and activities, plus tables of vendors selling clothing, toys and other goods that cater to children. The event is expected to attract approximately 150 to 200 people.
Council agreed to close Hanna Court from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the day in question to accommodate the event. The street is located one block south of the B.C. Hydro head office on Southpoint Drive, near the newly opened Taylor Park elementary school.
TOY RUN ARRIVES OCT. 1
The annual Christmas Toy Run motorcycle ride will travel through Burnaby on Sunday, Oct. 1, this year.
The annual event, which typically attracts several thousand motorcycle riders, provides toys for children of needy families throuhout the Lower Mainland. In Burnaby, the most notable impact from the charity event is a series of street closures and parking restrictions.
As usual, the toy run will result in a no-parking restriction on the westbound lane of Hastings between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. In addition, all north-south access across Hastings will be blocked between the hours of 10 a.m. until approximately 12 p.m., except for three access roads - Willingdon, Holdom and Cliff Ave., where traffic will be queued up and allowed to cross at 15 minute intervals.
The city intends to send notice of these changes to all north Burnaby residents by Sept. 15, and large 'advance warning signs' will be installed on streets along the parade route by Sept. 22.
Tank farm debate grows
By Dan Hilborn
Published Sept. 2, 2006
A proposal to expand the Kinder Morgan tank farm on Burnaby Mountain will be kept under the watchful eye of city council, even though some of that scrutiny might have to be done behind closed doors.
That was the word from Mayor Derek Corrigan this week after rookie Team Burnaby Coun. Garth Evans said that he's hearing lots of negative comments about the proposal to build at least one and possibly five new storage tanks at the facility.
"I've had a really strong adverse reaction from people in the area," Evans said at the Aug. 28 council meeting as he announced his intention to seek some way to "restrict the future expansion."
Evans' comments prompted the mayor to confirm that city staff are already preparing a formal response to the plan, but that report might have to be presented to an in-camera session of council.
Contacted after the meeting, both Corrigan and Evans said that they'd like their concerns discussed in the open "as much as possible," but there may be sensitive legal concerns that might have to first be presented at a private meeting.
"If we're going to get legal advice, we're going to have to have that in a closed meeting," said Corrigan, a lawyer. "One does not want to disclose your legal advice to the party on the other side. And I suspect Kinder Morgan won't invite us to their meetings with their lawyers."
Evans said he would take steps to ensure that only the most sensitive legal matters are discussed behind closed doors. "In general, I favour doing the city's business in public, not in private. I think people have the right to know what's happening and what we're doing."
Evans also confirmed that he is hearing many comments that the tank farm might have to move completely outside of Burnaby, and away from all the populated urban areas of the Lower Mainland.
"People seem to be very upset about the possibility of adding tanks to that facility. The comments I've been getting have been very adamant in their opposition," he said. "There seems to be a general feeling that this is not the kind of thing we'd like to have in our community.
"I'd like to work to relocate it, and I certainly don't want to expand it," he said. "I don't think a tank farm is the kind of thing that should be in the middle of a residential community."
Evans noted that when the facility was first built in 1952, there were no homes in the neighbourhood, which has since seen the construction of the busy Forest Grove community and the development of the SFU UniverCity neighbourhood, which will eventually bring another 10,000 residents to the top of Burnaby Mountain. "If that (new development) has created conflict, then the long-term solution is to move the tank farm where it doesn't impact people and where they live. ... We need to look at our options very closely."
But Corrigan urged caution in how city council handles the file. "Obviously there are very significant differences in Burnaby from the time when these kinds of facilities were originally built and today," said the mayor. "A major urban metropolis has grown up and that has very much changed the dynamics of the city.
"It's extremely difficult to take on the issue of moving such a huge facility.
"One does not want to overreact to a situation either," Corrigan said. "We have to make sure we have all of the information before us. While it's pretty clear that Coun. Evans wants to stake himself out early, I've learned over 20 years of politics to get all of the information before I make a decision."
Corrigan said any future changes at the tank farm would likely follow one of the paths taken by two of the city's other major petroleum handling facilities - the Shellburn refinery that has since been downgraded to a storage and distribution facility, and the Chevron refinery which has undertaken a series of equipment upgrades and environmental improvements over the past decade.
"These are businesses that have been in Burnaby for decades, and they are certainly businesses with a long history in the community of running their operation in a reasonable manner. So it doesn't seem fair or appropriate to jump all over them before we know what all the facts are."
Corrigan noted that a formal proposal to expand the tank farm has still not been received at city hall. "I think that basically Kinder Morgan has simply flown the flag and said 'This is something that in the long term we'd like to do,'" he said. "I don't get the impression from the report that Kinder Morgan has fleshed out its ideas. I guess they're gauging the reaction of the city and the public.
"This is not something I anticipate happening next year. I think it's a longer term project," he said. "Like any other proposal, there may be a compromised that can be reached that can achieve a better result for everyone where Kinder Morgan gets what they want and we get improvements for the community.
Corrigan also indicated that he might be more concerned if Kinder Morgan came up with a proposal to expand the network of pipelines in and around Burnaby.
"I want to treat Kinder Morgan the same way we treat Chevron, Electronic Arts or any of the number of private organizations out there. If I believe it's disadvantageous to the city or harmful to the city we'll be looking to take a very strong position on it."
THE TANK FARM BY THE NUMBERS
- The 77-hectare (189-acre) tank farm has been on Burnaby Mountain since 1953. It is home to 13 petroleum storage tanks with a total volume of 270,000 cubic metres (1.7 million barrels). Kinder Morgan Canada purchased the facility last year as part of its $6.9 billion acquisition of Terasen Gas Inc.
- If approved, the TMX-2 project would add one new 35,000 m3 (220,000 barrel) tank to the Burnaby Mountain facility by the year 2009, and possible five more new tanks in the ensuing years.
- The TMX-2 project also proposes to add another 495 kilometres of pipeline between Alberta and B.C., while expanding capacity at its Edmonton tank farm by 70,000 m3, and at its Sumas tank farm by 24,000 m3.
Published Sept. 2, 2006
A proposal to expand the Kinder Morgan tank farm on Burnaby Mountain will be kept under the watchful eye of city council, even though some of that scrutiny might have to be done behind closed doors.
That was the word from Mayor Derek Corrigan this week after rookie Team Burnaby Coun. Garth Evans said that he's hearing lots of negative comments about the proposal to build at least one and possibly five new storage tanks at the facility.
"I've had a really strong adverse reaction from people in the area," Evans said at the Aug. 28 council meeting as he announced his intention to seek some way to "restrict the future expansion."
Evans' comments prompted the mayor to confirm that city staff are already preparing a formal response to the plan, but that report might have to be presented to an in-camera session of council.
Contacted after the meeting, both Corrigan and Evans said that they'd like their concerns discussed in the open "as much as possible," but there may be sensitive legal concerns that might have to first be presented at a private meeting.
"If we're going to get legal advice, we're going to have to have that in a closed meeting," said Corrigan, a lawyer. "One does not want to disclose your legal advice to the party on the other side. And I suspect Kinder Morgan won't invite us to their meetings with their lawyers."
Evans said he would take steps to ensure that only the most sensitive legal matters are discussed behind closed doors. "In general, I favour doing the city's business in public, not in private. I think people have the right to know what's happening and what we're doing."
Evans also confirmed that he is hearing many comments that the tank farm might have to move completely outside of Burnaby, and away from all the populated urban areas of the Lower Mainland.
"People seem to be very upset about the possibility of adding tanks to that facility. The comments I've been getting have been very adamant in their opposition," he said. "There seems to be a general feeling that this is not the kind of thing we'd like to have in our community.
"I'd like to work to relocate it, and I certainly don't want to expand it," he said. "I don't think a tank farm is the kind of thing that should be in the middle of a residential community."
Evans noted that when the facility was first built in 1952, there were no homes in the neighbourhood, which has since seen the construction of the busy Forest Grove community and the development of the SFU UniverCity neighbourhood, which will eventually bring another 10,000 residents to the top of Burnaby Mountain. "If that (new development) has created conflict, then the long-term solution is to move the tank farm where it doesn't impact people and where they live. ... We need to look at our options very closely."
But Corrigan urged caution in how city council handles the file. "Obviously there are very significant differences in Burnaby from the time when these kinds of facilities were originally built and today," said the mayor. "A major urban metropolis has grown up and that has very much changed the dynamics of the city.
"It's extremely difficult to take on the issue of moving such a huge facility.
"One does not want to overreact to a situation either," Corrigan said. "We have to make sure we have all of the information before us. While it's pretty clear that Coun. Evans wants to stake himself out early, I've learned over 20 years of politics to get all of the information before I make a decision."
Corrigan said any future changes at the tank farm would likely follow one of the paths taken by two of the city's other major petroleum handling facilities - the Shellburn refinery that has since been downgraded to a storage and distribution facility, and the Chevron refinery which has undertaken a series of equipment upgrades and environmental improvements over the past decade.
"These are businesses that have been in Burnaby for decades, and they are certainly businesses with a long history in the community of running their operation in a reasonable manner. So it doesn't seem fair or appropriate to jump all over them before we know what all the facts are."
Corrigan noted that a formal proposal to expand the tank farm has still not been received at city hall. "I think that basically Kinder Morgan has simply flown the flag and said 'This is something that in the long term we'd like to do,'" he said. "I don't get the impression from the report that Kinder Morgan has fleshed out its ideas. I guess they're gauging the reaction of the city and the public.
"This is not something I anticipate happening next year. I think it's a longer term project," he said. "Like any other proposal, there may be a compromised that can be reached that can achieve a better result for everyone where Kinder Morgan gets what they want and we get improvements for the community.
Corrigan also indicated that he might be more concerned if Kinder Morgan came up with a proposal to expand the network of pipelines in and around Burnaby.
"I want to treat Kinder Morgan the same way we treat Chevron, Electronic Arts or any of the number of private organizations out there. If I believe it's disadvantageous to the city or harmful to the city we'll be looking to take a very strong position on it."
THE TANK FARM BY THE NUMBERS
- The 77-hectare (189-acre) tank farm has been on Burnaby Mountain since 1953. It is home to 13 petroleum storage tanks with a total volume of 270,000 cubic metres (1.7 million barrels). Kinder Morgan Canada purchased the facility last year as part of its $6.9 billion acquisition of Terasen Gas Inc.
- If approved, the TMX-2 project would add one new 35,000 m3 (220,000 barrel) tank to the Burnaby Mountain facility by the year 2009, and possible five more new tanks in the ensuing years.
- The TMX-2 project also proposes to add another 495 kilometres of pipeline between Alberta and B.C., while expanding capacity at its Edmonton tank farm by 70,000 m3, and at its Sumas tank farm by 24,000 m3.
Council adds to park
Council briefs by Dan Hilborn
Published Aug. 30, 2006
A small park being built in the middle of a new central Burnaby subdivision has grown, even before its official opening.
Burnaby council passed a resolution on Aug. 21 that will add three city-owned properties on Canada Way into the Wilton Avenue parksite.
The enlarged park will provide greater protection for a small watercourse that runs through the neighbourhood, and allow city hall to sell at least one other city-owned lot in the area west of Rayside Avenue, near the bottom of the Canada Way hill.
A parks department report on the project said the addition of the three properties will increase the size of the park by about 15 per cent, to 1.43 hectares (3.5 acres).
The report also notes that its future development may include facilities and amenities for the surrounding community, especially for youth and seniors.
Council agreed to either sell, relocate or demolish the city- owned building at 7975 Graham Ave., to accommodate an expansion of a small park in southeast Burnaby.
The 57-year-old home has 800 square feet of living space and is considered to be in poor to fair condition. After the aging building is either sold or demolished, the property will be kept vacant until the land assembly for the park is completed.
Burnaby is also proposing the sale or demolition of a 45-year- old home and outbuilding at 4940 Claude Ave. as part of a long-term plan to build a linear park beside the creek the connects Burnaby and Deer lakes.
The property will then be kept vacant until the city can fit the creek enhancement project into its capital budget program.
CITY OKS FEE HIKES
The cost of local area improvements such as new street lights, paving of streets and lanes and the installation of traffic calming measures is going up in Burnaby.
At its Aug. 21 meeting, Burnaby council approved a series of fee increases for when a majority of area neighbours agree to pay for improvements to their street.
According to a report from the city engineering department, Burnaby has charged the cost of these street improvements to the local homeowners based on how many linear feet of frontage their property has on the street in question.
For instance, the cost of paving a street complete with curbs and walkways, will rise from $7.75 per foot of frontage to $9 per foot, over a 15 year amortization period.
Concrete sidewalks will cost local homeowners $3 per foot of frontage over 15 years, while asphalt sidewalks will cost $3.50 per foot over 10 years.
New streetlights will cost $2.75 per foot over 10 years, while lane paving will cost $5 per foot over five years.
Sidewalk crossings will now cost residential property owners $14 apiece while business owners will pay $60 over a 15-year period.
Published Aug. 30, 2006
A small park being built in the middle of a new central Burnaby subdivision has grown, even before its official opening.
Burnaby council passed a resolution on Aug. 21 that will add three city-owned properties on Canada Way into the Wilton Avenue parksite.
The enlarged park will provide greater protection for a small watercourse that runs through the neighbourhood, and allow city hall to sell at least one other city-owned lot in the area west of Rayside Avenue, near the bottom of the Canada Way hill.
A parks department report on the project said the addition of the three properties will increase the size of the park by about 15 per cent, to 1.43 hectares (3.5 acres).
The report also notes that its future development may include facilities and amenities for the surrounding community, especially for youth and seniors.
Council agreed to either sell, relocate or demolish the city- owned building at 7975 Graham Ave., to accommodate an expansion of a small park in southeast Burnaby.
The 57-year-old home has 800 square feet of living space and is considered to be in poor to fair condition. After the aging building is either sold or demolished, the property will be kept vacant until the land assembly for the park is completed.
Burnaby is also proposing the sale or demolition of a 45-year- old home and outbuilding at 4940 Claude Ave. as part of a long-term plan to build a linear park beside the creek the connects Burnaby and Deer lakes.
The property will then be kept vacant until the city can fit the creek enhancement project into its capital budget program.
CITY OKS FEE HIKES
The cost of local area improvements such as new street lights, paving of streets and lanes and the installation of traffic calming measures is going up in Burnaby.
At its Aug. 21 meeting, Burnaby council approved a series of fee increases for when a majority of area neighbours agree to pay for improvements to their street.
According to a report from the city engineering department, Burnaby has charged the cost of these street improvements to the local homeowners based on how many linear feet of frontage their property has on the street in question.
For instance, the cost of paving a street complete with curbs and walkways, will rise from $7.75 per foot of frontage to $9 per foot, over a 15 year amortization period.
Concrete sidewalks will cost local homeowners $3 per foot of frontage over 15 years, while asphalt sidewalks will cost $3.50 per foot over 10 years.
New streetlights will cost $2.75 per foot over 10 years, while lane paving will cost $5 per foot over five years.
Sidewalk crossings will now cost residential property owners $14 apiece while business owners will pay $60 over a 15-year period.
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