STOP TMX
Open Letter: A Call on SFU to Take a Stance Against TMX
What is TMX?
The TMX project is a twin expansion of a major oil pipeline owned by the Trans Mountain Corporation (TMC). TMC was established by the Canadian government in 2018 after purchasing the pipeline for $4.5 billion from previous owner Kinder Morgan, despite years of overwhelming opposition from many citizens, First Nations, and the City of Burnaby.
The project includes an expansion of the existing tank farm that will store the transported oil. It is currently under construction at the base of Burnaby Mountain, 30 metres away from thousands of daily commuters. There is only one route to enter and exit Burnaby Campus—the Burnaby Mountain Parkway and Gaglardi Way intersection 200 metres away from the tank farm. If an explosion or fire occurs at the tank farm, evacuation from the mountain may be extremely difficult or impossible.
Have questions about TMX? Find out more by viewing the TMX FAQ.
Our Demands
1. Prioritise SFU Community Safety
Make an Official Statement of Opposition
Facilitate Education and Awareness
2. Demonstrate Ongoing Commitment to Divestment
Demand Scotiabank Divest from TMX
Reinvest in the Community
3. Uphold Indigenous Sovereignty and FPIC
Oppose all new and pending fossil fuel projects that are not aligned with a 1.5°C world and that do not have Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) of the Nations whose territories overlap the project.
Support and amplify Indigenous-led initiatives resisting fossil fuel projects, such as the Tsleil-Waututh Nation Sacred Trust
4. Grant Academic Amnesty
Collaborate with departments and teaching personnel to create policies that support student involvement in large actions
This open letter is a petition put forth by SFU350 calling on SFU to make an official statement of opposition to the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion project (TMX) through a set of tangible calls to action, for the safety of the SFU community and in alignment with the university’s 2022 climate emergency declaration.