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Cities vote for oil tanker expansion

Union of B.C. Municipalities delegates last week accept a motion from the District of Sooke

Municipal leaders have renewed their call in opposition to the expansion of oil tanker traffic through B.C.’s coastal waters.

Delegates at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Vancouver last week accepted a motion from the District of Sooke which petitions the provincial and federal governments.

The proposition was part of a block of motions put forward by delegates

“The tanker resolution was not removed from the block for discussion, meaning there was no contest to the resolution. It was passed unanimously, without any discussion against it,” said Sooke Coun. Ebony Logins.

The UBCM will now lobby the position. Resolutions do return (not necessarily from the same municipalities), when the federal or provincial government fail to respond or act.

The motion follows a referendum passed by Sooke voters in last year’s municipal election asking: “Should the District of Sooke join other municipalities in renewing and restating its opposition to the expansion of oil tanker traffic through coastal B.C. waters.” There were 2,618 yes votes and 1,137 no votes.