Kinder Morgan’s new estimate = $9.3 billion and counting

(Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver, B.C. – August 9, 2018) The Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) is frustrated and outraged with the $1.9 billion increase in estimated construction costs for the planned Trans Mountain pipeline and tanker project released by Kinder Morgan yesterday.

“The Arctic Circle is burning in Sweden, intense wildfires are ripping through California, heat waves are breaking records across the world, 400 fires are raging in British Columbia and the Canadian government wants to buy an overpriced 60-year-old leaky pipeline and build another one that will guarantee an expansion of greenhouse gas pollution produced by the tar sands at a time when we should be hitting the emergency shutdown button to prevent catastrophic climate chaos,” said UBCIC President Grand Chief Stewart Phillip.

“Canada must embrace a comprehensive renewable energy strategy. It defies any form of rational responsible decision making that we as a country continue to embrace massive projects that will without question add to global warming,” said UBCIC Vice-President Chief Bob Chamberlin. “The ballooning cost underlines the irresponsible decision making that Canadian taxpayers will bear the burden for generations to come.”

The additional $1.9 billion means that Canada's deal with Kinder Morgan was based on an outdated construction cost estimate of $7.4 billion, an estimate that was not publicly disclosed to Canadian taxpayers when the deal was announced. It was also revealed that the completion date for the project will be delayed—again— by at least a year.

“If Justin Trudeau can’t see the hypocrisy between claiming climate leadership and building a bitumen pipeline, he is either corrupt or shouldn’t be trusted to hold public office,” said UBCIC Secretary-Treasurer Chief Judy Wilson. “A real climate leader would fight the climate emergency that killed 90 people in a Montreal heatwave and help save BC’s 75 remaining Southern Resident Killer Whales by canceling the entire Trans Mountain pipeline and tanker project.”

Kinder Morgan shareholders will vote to approve the deal in Calgary on August 30th.