The City of Chilliwack and the Trans Mountain Expansion Project have agreed to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding for a Community Benefit Agreement that will see a $1.2 contribution toward funding a new Vedder Greenway Pedestrian Trail Bridge. Trans Mountain has been pursuing Community Benefit Agreements with those along the pipeline corridor to provide direct benefits to communities if the proposed expansion project is approved and constructed.

“We are grateful that Trans Mountain will fund the Vedder Greenway Pedestrian Trail Bridge project in acknowledgement of the disruption pipeline construction will bring to our community should it proceed,” said Chilliwack Mayor Sharon Gaetz. “The Vedder Greenway Pedestrian Trail Bridge project will provide an important pedestrian link between our trails, creating additional opportunities for safe recreation and transportation. We appreciate the communication we have been able to share with Kinder Morgan and look forward to a positive working relationship.”

“We are committed to offsetting impacts of the Project by providing direct and long lasting benefits to the communities we operate in,” said Ian Anderson, President of Kinder Morgan Canada. “We are happy this agreement will support a much-needed pedestrian bridge that will help connect the community.”

Kinder Morgan values the relationships it has with the communities along its existing pipeline system and the proposed pipeline project; these span over more than 60 years of history. This agreement was signed as part of an overall effort underway by Kinder Morgan Canada to work with pipeline-affected communities to identify local opportunities to give something back in recognition of the public inconveniences and temporary disruption created by construction of the proposed expansion. Trans Mountain has 18 Community Benefit Agreements totaling more than $8.5 million dollars, along 92 per cent of the pipeline corridor. Additional agreements with municipalities and communities along the pipeline corridor are expected as project planning continues.