Burnaby’s first and favourite information source
Neighbours worried about development PAGE 3
Delivery 604-942-3081 • Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Knights come up cold in tourney
PAGE 19
Your source for local sports, news, weather and entertainment! >> www.burnabynow.com
Apology input invited
THE AFTERMATH
Coal covers sensitive habitat area
Stefania Seccia staff reporter
Coal dumped in a train derailment Saturday is fouling a city creek and being washed into Burnaby Lake Jennifer Moreau staff reporter
The banks of Burnaby’s Silver Creek were coated in black Monday morning, after a weekend train derailment left unknown quantities of coal in the local waterway. The tracks gave out Saturday morning at Government Street and Brighton Avenue after heavy rains broke a nearby beaver dam and washed out the track embankment. Three uncovered cars tipped over, spilling coal into the RELATED STORY water. Reaction: Is city a “The cause was the “Lac-Mégantic waiting heavy rainfall, which led to happen”? City counto a beaver dam washcillors raise concern out,” said CN spokesperSee page 5 son Emily Hamer. CN runs the railway tracks, but Canadian Pacific Railway owns the derailed train, and the metallurgic coal was destined for North Vancouver’s Neptune Bulk Terminals. Neither CP nor CN could say how much coal was spilled or how much was recovered. Two people were on the train at the time of the accident, but no one was injured, and the tracks were repaired and reopened by Sunday afternoon. Hamer said the Transportation Safety Board is also investigating, but CN has already concluded the accident was caused by heavy rainfall. The spill is raising concerns for Burnaby streamkeepers, as the creek is considered sensitive fish and wildlife habitat, according to posted Train Page 9
For more photos and a video scan with Layar Jennifer Gauthier/burnaby now
How dirty is it? Alan James of the Stoney Creek Environment Committee picks up coal from Silver Creek after a derailment that saw three cars spill coal into the local waterway. The extent of environmental harm is not yet known.
KANE CHENG ! 778.855-8450 Your Trusted Neighbourhood Realtor Mandarin ! English
SEEKING BUSINESS FOR SALE. 400 KM RADIUS FROM VANCOUVER.
A headstart for your child. French Immersion 4 Convenient Locations No Registration Fee*
*for online registrations. See our website for details.
www.kanetherealtor.com
l us EdithsMontessori.com Cadl ay! to
604-522-1586
Extensive Overseas Buyer Connections
Kane Cheng Personal Real Estate Corporation
ROYAL PACIFIC REALTY
A public forum to gather information on how to properly address an apology to the Chinese community is happening in Burnaby next Monday, but some advocates say it’s still not enough to make up for the historic damage done. On Jan. 20, Teresa Wat, B.C. minister of multiculturalism, will host a public forum at the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown. The forum is an effort to consult the public and raise awareness, which will result in the province delivering a formal apology to the Chinese community for past government mistakes that targeted those immigrants up to 50 years ago through racist legislation. “The whole idea is to have public consultation. It’s the first step to increase public awareness,” Wat told the NOW. “Second of all, we want to listen to the general public in all of B.C., in particular the Chinese-Canadian community, on what they think about how we should deliver our formal apology on behalf of the whole legislation, on behalf of all the people.” However, Sid Chow Tan, founder of the Head Tax Families Society and its former president, said no apology is genuine unless a head tax refund is made to the surviving members of Chinese immigrants who faced severe restrictions when they settled in B.C. years ago. He spoke at the event in Vancouver and plans to attend the forum in Burnaby next week. “This is really important Canadian story the government is playing politics with,” he said. For more on this story, go to www. burnabynow.com.
BRIAN VIDAS .com
604.671.5259 BRIAN VIDAS PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION
CENTRE REALTY