Editor's note: This is a copy of a letter to Joan McIntyre, MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky. It was copied to The Chief for publication.
I am writing to you as a constituent of the Sea to Sky Corridor because I am strongly opposed to the expansion of oil tanker traffic on B.C.'s coast. Large container oil shipments moving daily along our coast (and the related expansion of tar sands production and development of new pipelines for transportation) imperil the health of our planet, for humans and animal and plant ecosystems.
B.C.'s coast is a unique and beautiful treasure, not just for B.C. or Canada but the entire world. I urge federal and provincial governments to work together to ensure a firm moratorium is in place to stop expansion of oil tanker traffic on our coast. I further urge our provincial and federal governments to focus on developing and supporting clean energy options for Canada and non-polluting industry for export. And in the immediate future, I urgethe B.C. Legislature tovoice their opposition tothe Enbridge pipeline proposal.
The suggested economic benefits, which are the only argument for pipeline and tanker expansion, are not worth the risk to our coastal ecosystems and communities. On the Northern Gateway website, Enbridge suggests that their pipeline project would provide 3,000 short-term construction jobs, 560 long-term jobs and provide $1.2 billion ($1,200 million) in tax revenue over 30 years.
In contrast, a 2011 report by the B.C. Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovations stated B.C.'s tourism industry employed 128,000 people in 2009 and provided the B.C. government with $863 million in tax revenue in one year. That is 70 per cent of the tax revenue proposed by Enbridge over 30 years. A large portion of that revenue is sourced from coastal tourism opportunities, which would be damaged by increased tanker traffic and completely destroyed should a spill occur. Why would we risk a fruitful, growing and sustainable industry for a project that provides few jobs, contributes to fossil fuel use and climate change and offers a comparatively low tax revenue source and belies B.C.'s "Super Natural" reputation?
Once again, I urge you, our elected representative, to stop this proposed pipeline and oil tanker traffic expansion and protect the best long-term economic and environmental interests of Canadians.
Theresa Negreiff
Squamish
