Trans Mountain has a long history of commitment to respectful relationships with landowners along the pipeline right-of-way.

There have been some recent changes to our ownership, but we remain committed to keeping landowners and occupants connected and informed. We sat down with Bob Love, manager, land and right-of-way, to talk about our continued commitment to maintaining and operating our pipeline system safely.

How can people living along the pipeline ensure they’re prepared to respond safely in the unlikely event of an emergency?

We’ve developed a 2019 Landowner Update newsletter that provides a lot of useful information. For example, warning signs of a pipeline leak could include water with an oily sheen or pools of liquid on the right-of-way. There could also be a strong odour of petroleum.

The newsletter has advice on leaving the area in an upwind direction, on how and where to take shelter, on evacuation measures and on calling 911 and the Trans Mountain 24-hour emergency line, 1.888.876.6711.

Trans Mountain actively promotes use of BC One Call and Alberta One-Call. How do those fit with the interests of landowners?

Trans Mountain has a regulatory responsibility to implement public awareness programs focusing on preventing underground damage. Our program provides specific pipeline safety information to landowners, such as how to contact your local One Call centre and how to dig safely or build near a pipeline. When you make that call, we provide information directly to you and we connect face-to-face if appropriate. Our goal is to ensure our landowners and neighbours stay informed and continue to live and work safely near our pipeline system.

What are the basic rules for working near the pipeline right-of-way?

Working with us early in the planning stages of your project is important. Connecting with a One Call service is the first step. It’s free of charge, and it’s a proven step for preventing damage to pipelines and other underground infrastructure. The National Energy Board’s Damage Prevention Regulations provide a 30-metre ‘prescribed area’ on either side of the centreline of the pipeline. Any ground excavation in this area requires a safety check from Trans Mountain in the form of a 30-metre Ground Disturbance Safety Permit. If you’re planning to disturb the ground in that area, you connect with One Call. We respond directly to you and verify the location of the pipeline. We may determine that additional requirements need to be met for your work to be done safely— for example, non-mechanical digging only.

Trans Mountain has new ownership. Has that changed any of these procedures? 

There are no changes to our operations and the Trans Mountain Expansion Project as a result of the new ownership. Our contact information remains the same with a slight change to our Landowners email address: [email protected]