A tax on U.S. thermal coal as it travels through British Columbia 鈥� including through Surrey and White Rock on Burlington Northern Santa Fe's railway on its way to Deltaport 鈥� was an issue being discussed by the provincial and federal governments prior to the Sunday announcement of the federal election.
Now, with less than five weeks until the April 28 voting day, incumbent South Surrey-White Rock Conservative Kerry-Lynne Findlay and Liberal candidate Ernie Klassen shared their thoughts on the coal cargo that travels through the riding daily.
Both say the issue has long been a contentious one for area residents, many of whom are concerned about potential pollution and related effects in the long term.
"The transportation of thermal coal through our communities is a problem for us (Conservatives) ... we鈥檝e been sounding alarm bells on this for quite a long time," Findlay said.
"We鈥檝e all seen videos of coal dust 鈥� and we are talking thermal coal here coming up from the States ... farmers will tell you they find coal dust on their berries, and a lot of people are concerned about (the potential for) pollution into our air and our soil. I am hoping that this will be something we鈥檙e talking about continually and that we can do something about it."
Klassen said the Liberal Party of Canada has also been working on the issue.
"The Liberal Party has been working on the coal coming through White Rock for many years, and we will continue to negotiate with the Americans as well as BNSF," he said.
"We would try to have the train rerouted. ... We are quite concerned about environmental issues as well. I鈥檝e heard about it from a whole bunch of different perspectives ... as a citizen, and as a city councillor."
Earlier this month, B.C. Premier David Eby said he had presented a proposal that to tariff the thermal coal that comes from from U.S. states and transits through to Deltaport, materials that "could (be) subject to additional charges from Canada 鈥� or even restricted entirely" 鈥� directly to the prime minister.
"This is something the federal government has committed to do in any event by 2030. I think it's a useful target because this is a product that Western U.S. states refuse to ship through their ports, and effectively, the only way to get that product out is through British Columbia because it's federal jurisdiction.," Eby said at a media availability in Victoria March 12.
"We're very limited in the tools that we have around this coal float, but the federal government does have the ability to tariff and add additional charges here, and we're encouraging them to have a good look at it because it seems like a helpful target."
Eby had first pitched tariffs on thermal coal to Trudeau after B.C. Conservative leader John Rustad brought it up during question period Feb. 24, when he highlighted how the province's forest sector has been without a softwood lumber agreement for eight years.
"Thousands of jobs have been lost. Mills have been closed. Families and communities have been devastated," Rustad said. "The Conservative Party of British Columbia has put forward a plan to place a carbon tax on U.S.A. thermal coal, keep this revenue in a trust and use it as leverage to get a deal done with the Americans. To the premier: Will you implement this plan?"
While Eby said it was "a relief" to hear Rustad talk about U.S. tariff retaliation, Rustad maintained the issue is ongoing.
"We need to be able to have leverage to deal with the Americans to get a softwood lumber agreement in place. And, yes, there鈥檚 a threat of tariffs, but this is an ongoing, eight-year challenge that we鈥檝e had that the NDP have done nothing on," Rustad said.
Eby noted that Rustad "knows there are major challenges with his proposal around federally regulated export industries, around placing provincial charges on that. If it were easy to do, absolutely, we would do it. We鈥檙e looking for every possible way. We鈥檙e looking for possible things to do."
He said if Conservative MLAs want to work with him and the NDP on counter-tariffs, "I welcome the change of heart."
"We will retaliate against the Americans for unfair tariffs."
Peace Arch News also reached out to Surrey and White Rock mayors Brenda Locke and Megan Knight for their thoughts on the thermal coal cargo that travels through their communities via rail, but both deferred any tariff comments to the federal and/or provincial governments.
鈥淲hite Rock stands proudly with Canada 鈥� a country that values fair trade, strong economic partnerships, and resilience in the face of challenges," Knight shared via email.
Klassen said tariffs will be on the table, as well as rerouting the trains carrying thermal coal.
"As far as tariffs are concerned, our ultimate goal is that there are no tariffs," he said.
"At this point, we (Liberals) would definitely be looking at applying tariffs to the Americans, just like they鈥檙e doing with us."
Findlay said she will continue to fight to have the issue recognized.
"If there was ever a time to protect Canadian interests and speak up for Canada, it is now, when we are under these tariff threats ... this heavy rhetoric against an ally is most disheartening."
During the March 12 media availability, Eby acknowledged there is concern about the potentia impact on Canadian jobs at Deltaport's docks if tariffs on thermal coal are imposed.
"There are significant impacts, and I've already heard from people in the trucking industry expressing concern about the toll on trucks going through from Washington State to Alaska 鈥� their concerns are part of our considerations about the decision when and if to use the legislative tool that we're putting into place," Eby told reporters.
"I know that the Longshore Union is anxious about the discussion that's taken place around thermal coal, and understandably their members that are loading that coal, so we would certainly encourage the federal government to take that into account when they're collecting tariffs on things."
鈥� with files from Wolf Depner
