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Robertson said the city has received an “absolutely unacceptable” offer from the Ship-source Oil Pollution fund of 27 per cent of the $550,000.

On April 6, 2018, the city filed a direct claim against owners of the Cypriot-registered vessel in Federal Court in the hopes of further cost recovery.

“Typically these ship owners are very difficult to go after when there is a spill, and the costs are never quite recovered by taxpayers, citizens and government who are paying for the impact,” said Robertson.

The lack of compensation leaves taxpayers and municipalities on the hook for costs incurred by the spill, and raises concern over what might happen in the case of a diluted bitumen spill along B.C.’s coastal waterways.

“Vancouver’s primary concern with the Kinder Morgan pipeline is the oil tankers — seven times the number will go through our harbour — and the oil spill we expect will happen over time and dramatically impact our environment and our economy,” said Robertson.

Stuart Mackinnon, chair of the Vancouver Park Board said English Bay is an “iconic spot” not just to Vancouver, but for the whole world.

“The federal government needs to step up and take responsibility for their jurisdictions,” said Mackinnon.

“We are terribly concerned about the amount of oil that will pass through here should the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion go through.”

Mackinnon said a diluted bitumen spill is not easily cleaned off rocks and sand, and would be much more difficult to remediate than the bunker oil.

“I can’t imagine what would happen in Burrard Inlet if a spill were to happen there.”

Transport Canada and representatives from SSOP were not able to respond to Postmedia inquiries on Sunday.

dryan@postmedia.com

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