Residents seek to upzone stReet
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the tRuth about oil pollution
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b.C.’s movie biz feeling squeeze
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wednesday
January 16 2013 www.burnabynewsleader.com
A new poll says fans are still angry at their NHL teams about the lockout, but do we really believe they’ll stay away? See page a15
Plan still cuts Chevron short Kinder Morgan boosts pipeline expansion Wanda Chow
wchow@burnabynewsleader.com
MarIO BarTEL/nEWSLEaDEr
Amanda McCracken and her two-year-old daughter Holly have less than a month to find a new home after the City of Burnaby shut down her landlord’s illegal suites following a complaint by neighbours. Lougheed Branch 9608 Cameron St.
City may legalize secondary suites 21¯ MONTH
604-421-3456
TERM DEPOSIT
All rental suites in houses currently illegal Wanda Chow
wchow@burnabynewsleader.com
Burnaby is one of the few Lower Mainland municipalities that doesn’t allow secondary suites but that could soon change. Coun. Dan Johnston, vicechair of Burnaby’s community development committee, said the city’s planning department is currently reviewing the issue. “We recognize that we’re one of the few that doesn’t. But saying that,
we want to do it—if we do it—in a way that is OK for the community.” Johnston said while allowing secondary suites could mean more fees for city hall, many long-time residents don’t want suites so staff are looking into how it could be done while being sensitive to residents’ concerns. The city is studying the issue as part of efforts to encourage affordable housing options in the city, and he expects a public consultation process will be held in late spring or early summer. “It’s a pretty divisive issue,”
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Nemeth %* are people Eszter Johnston said. There that “Suites should be there to provide Brentwood Branch | 1801 Willingdon Ave. want to have revenue-based suites affordable housing,” Johnston 604-298-3344 in their homes, while others feel stressed. “If the process gets too & conditions apply. Financial Services Since 1940 • www.gvccu.com their* Terms single-family neighbourhoods expensive it kind of defeats the should be maintained as such. purpose.” Across the region cities have In the past, the city’s legal taken very different approaches department has also advised there to the issue, he said. Some simply are liability issues with legalizing ignore the liability issue, dealing suites that have not been built up to with it as it happens, others B.C. Building Code standards, he impose high annual licensing said. or utility fees, while still others And if city hall were to demand simply turn a blind eye. all existing suites had to be up “It’s soup to nuts ... Every city to code, many wouldn’t pass seems to have different requirements inspection. please see ILLEgaL, a3 and different expectations. Chequing, Savings, Mortgages, Loans & Friendly Advice
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Kinder Morgan Canada’s announcement that its proposed expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline will be even larger might not be good news to Chevron’s North Burnaby refinery. In fact, it could be a worse situation than currently exists at the refinery, which has had its crude oil supply from the pipeline restricted to the point the company is having to bring feedstock in by tanker truck. Kinder Morgan announced Thursday that due to new long-term contracts being signed it will increase the capacity of its proposed expansion from 750,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 890,000 bpd. The 60-year-old pipeline, which runs from Edmonton to Burnaby, is currently carrying 300,000 bpd. Of the larger figure, 708,000 bpd will be reserved for the 13 customers who signed 15- and 20-year contracts, Kinder Morgan said. Those will largely ship oil sands crude to overseas markets. see ChEvrOn, a3