FRIDAY
JANUARY 9, 2014
TRI-CITIES
Smoke detectors alerted them to basement blaze
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thenownews.com
THE NOW
FAMILY FLEES FIRE
RIVER CLEANUP Volunteers needed to remove trash from banks of the Coquitlam River
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Serving COQUITLAM, PORT COQUITLAM, PORT MOODY, ANMORE and BELCARRA since 1984
City upset over pipeline issues
Jeremy DEUTSCH
jdeutsch@thenownews.com The City of Port Moody may consider ways to stop the proposed Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion project, after receiving what it calls an “inadequate” response to questions. For several months, the city has been taking part in the National Energy Board (NEB) pipeline project hearing process as an intervenor. While the intervenor status has allowed the municipality to ask questions of Trans Mountain related to the project, what it got back in return wasn’t what it expected. According to a city staff report, Port Moody submitted 163 questions during the first round of information requests back in May, but found “Trans Mountain’s responses to the first round of information requests to be inadequate, with responses failing to provide the information being requested.” The city sent the NEB a letter identifying its concerns. The report also noted that of the 2,400 follow-up questions filed by various intervenors, including Port Moody, the NEB ruled that Trans Mountain would have to respond to just 107 questions, rejecting 93 per cent of the requests. The report prompted local politicians at this week’s committee of the whole meeting to refer the matter to the city’s Environmental Protection Committee (EPC) to generate alternate ideas to prevent the Trans Mountain Pipeline Project from being completed. The resolution still has to be
approved at a future council meeting. Coun. Robert Vagramov, who brought the motions forward, said it’s “unbelievable” that 93 per cent of information requests were duplicates or irrelevant. He suggested Port Moody’s hands might be tied in this case and acknowledged the city might not be able to stop the project. “At the very least [we’re] raising awareness or highlighting the fact the NEB process is not working for Port Moody,” he told the Tri-Cities NOW. Coun. Rick Glumac said he was frustrated to hear the city hasn’t received adequate answers from Trans Mountain and the NEB process wasn’t helping to get those answers. He said he also doesn’t have confidence the process will lead to a fair decision about the pipeline. “The process, to me, seems like it’s flawed from the beginning,” Glumac said. “You start questioning the process when you’re not getting the answers you believe you should be getting.” He also suggested referring the matter to the EPC gives the group a chance to come up with ideas on how the city should respond. The city is currently preparing its submissions for the second and final round of information requests to the NEB, due by Jan. 16. In 2012, the city passed a resolution opposing more tanker traffic in Burrard Inlet. Kinder Morgan is proposing a $5.4-billion expansion of its 1,150-kilometre oil pipeline from Edmonton to Burnaby.
Pedestrian killed in Citadel Drive crash
76-YEAR-OLD MAN WAS WALKING WITH YOUNG BOY Jeremy DEUTSCH jdeutsch@thenownews.com The Tri-Cities has recorded its first traffic fatality of 2015. Two pedestrians were taken to hospital with serious injuries Wednesday following a crash in Port Coquitlam. On Thursday, Coquitlam RCMP confirmed one of the pedestrians, a 76-year-old man, later died in hospital. A nine year-old boy, who was also hit, suffered more minor injuries. The name of the man is not being released at the request of the family. The two pedestrians were hit in a crosswalk by a vehicle in the 1200 block of Citadel Drive just after 3 p.m. RCMP noted the driver stayed at the scene and co-operated with police. While the investigation is still ongoing, police have ruled out drugs and alcohol as contributing factors in the crash. RCMP Cpl. Jamie Chung also said it’s too early to speculate on what other factors were behind the crash or whether charges are being considered. “This kind of investigation does take a long time,” he told the TriCities NOW, also pointing out there is no indication that fog played a role in the crash, though it’s not being ruled out.
LISA KING/NOW
A 76-year-old man and a nine-year-old boy were sent to hospital after being hit by a car on PoCo’s Citadel Drive Wednesday. The man later died. Police also confirmed the two pedestrians were related. Chung called the incident a sad situation. “It’s a reminder for both drivers and pedestrians, especially in this kind of weather … just to be really looking out for each other,” he said. While investigators spoke to witnesses at the scene, police are still appealing for any more witnesses to come forward. Anyone with information can contact Coquitlam RCMP at 604945-1550 and quote file 2015-661. In 2014, there were four colli-
sions resulting in fatalities in the Coquitlam RCMP’s jurisdiction. In three of those, the victim was a pedestrian. The last fatality occurred Dec. 8 when a car lost control on Como Lake Avenue, went up on the curb and knocked down a lamp pole. The vehicle hit and killed a pedestrian. RCMP charged the alleged driver, Dae Soo Shin, a 30-year-old Coquitlam man, with refusing to provide breath samples while operating a motor vehicle resulting in the death of another person.
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Richard Rainey
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