The B.C. government has added its voice to those opposing the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project.

The province announced Tuesday that it has filed its final argument in the National Energy Board's project after the previous approval was quashed by the Federal Court of Appeal.

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“Trans Mountain has not demonstrated an ability to effectively respond to a marine spill,” read the province’s submission. “The evidence on the record has not persuaded the Province that the capability and capacity required to respond to a significant spill from a Project-related tanker would be in place before the Project commences operations.”

The province is an intervenor in this new NEB review and it is recommending against the approval of the project.

“The submission outlines concerns about the impact an oil spill could have on B.C.'s environment and coast, as well as the ability to effectively respond to a spill,” said a news release. “The argument highlights the potential impacts that increased oil tanker traffic would have on southern resident killer whales. The final argument covers a range of additional topics related to marine spills, including the gaps in the federal Oceans Protection Plan, the fate and behaviour of diluted bitumen in marine environments and the ability to respond to a marine spill in adverse weather conditions.”

The province says that if Trans Mountain receives federal approval, the final argument “proposes a number of additional conditions to improve the safety of the project, including conditions aimed at improved spill response times and reducing underwater noise, as well as stricter reporting and public transparency.”

The final argument is available on the National Energy Board's website: https://apps.neb-one.gc.ca/REGDOCS/Item/Filing/A97499