Coastal GasLink says a “trenchless watercourse crossing” is underway underneath the Morice River (Wedzin Kwa)

Photo of drill pad site by Kris Statnyk.

Houston Today reports: “Coastal GasLink has resumed work to run its natural gas pipeline through a tunnel underneath the Morice River [Wedzin Kwa]…”

The article continues: “The company would not release details other than to say two ‘trenchless watercourse crossings’ are underway underneath the Morice River south of Houston and at Crocker Creek in northeastern B.C.”

On September 8, Defend Our River and Yintah Access had also posted: “Did you know that the CGL Pipeline will be drilling under our river starting as early as next week? …Our beautiful river is in imminent danger.”

Houston Today further notes that RCMP Inspector Ken Floyd, the commander of the Community-Industry Response Group (C-IRG) spoke to the Board of Directors of the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako this past summer.

The article adds: “Minutes of the meeting kept by the regional district indicate that as CGL increases activity, there will be a requirement by the police to escalate care of the workers and to improve response times ‘in the area to accommodate the risk’.”

Tweet by Michael Toledano.

The article also notes: “Once preparations have been completed, the actual tunnelling time is expected to take two and half to three months.”

In a separate article, Houston Today also reports: “Coastal GasLink (CGL) says it needs to beef up its workforce to more than 1,200 people at a camp south of Houston…”

That article indicates that CGL has applied to the Regional District for a temporary use permit to increase its Huckleberry camp from 800 to 985 workers. Another camp, outside of the District’s jurisdiction, has accommodations for 244 people.

According to this CGL map, Huckleberry Lodge is in Section 7 of the pipeline route.

Photo: Huckleberry Lodge.

We recall that the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has repeatedly called on Canada to stop the construction of the pipeline and “that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and associated security and policing services will be withdrawn from their traditional lands.”

YintahAccess.com has noted: “In three large-scale police actions in January 2019, February 2020, and November 2021, a total of 74 people have been arrested and detained, including legal observers and members of the media.”

Photo by Dan Loan of RCMP raid on Wet’suwet’en territory, November 18, 2021.

Stand.earth has also highlighted: “RBC is among top commercial banks providing the CGL project with working capital, including CAD $275 million in project finance, a co-financed $6.5 billion loan, a $40 million corporate loan, and $200 million in co-financed working capital – while acting as financial advisor for the pipeline.”

Photo: This week RBC announced a partnership agreement that involves adding their logo to the Montreal Canadiens’ home jerseys beginning next season.

For more on the ongoing campaign calling on RBC to defund Coastal GasLink, please see Decolonial Solidarity on Twitter.

Photo: Banner by Decolonial Solidarity – RBC at Bank St and First.