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Trudeau Promises Two Emergency Towing Vessels For West Coast

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 20 Dec, 2016 12:53 PM

VANCOUVER — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the second of two emergency towing vessels that have been promised as part of a federal plan to protect Canada's oceans will operate on the West Coast.

Trudeau made the announcement today on board a Canadian Coast Guard vessel in Vancouver.

The vessels will help the coast guard tow large commercial ships that are in distress and pose a hazard to navigation and the marine environment.

This is the prime minister's first visit to the city since his government announced its support late last month for the expansion of Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline to the Vancouver area.

The expansion would triple the capacity of the pipeline between the Edmonton area and Kinder Morgan's marine terminal in Burnaby, B.C., and increase the number of tankers using the terminal from five to 34 a month.

The towing vessels were announced in November as part of the federal government's $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan, which includes leasing two new emergency towing vessels.

"Both of these vessels will operate on Canada's West Coast and help to keep large disabled vessels off B.C.'s pristine coasts," Trudeau said in a news release.

The pipeline expansion has drawn opposition in the Vancouver area, including from Mayor Gregor Robertson.

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