Pipeline project helps — just not me

I live in Edmonton and I am against the expansion of the Kinder Morgan pipeline.

I am just about to retire and have purchased property along the Vancouver waterline.

Even a small spill, quickly contained, could diminish property values.

The value of the Canadian dollar varies by up to about 25 per cent based on the price of crude, assuming export ability. By restricting this ability, the Canadian dollar is held lower, and foreigners, especially Americans, will maintain property values by making it easier for them to buy.

I no longer need to worry about paying more income taxes for health care, education, and other social programs, or paying down the debt.

I don’t need a project that brings in tens of billions to the federal government or the jobs it creates.

B.C. and other provinces, have substantially benefited from transfer payments, mainly from taxes on oil resources, for almost 40 years. Increasing these payments would not improve my retirement.

Economic growth is important, but always carries some environmental risk that needs to be weighed carefully. The KM expansion appears to be one of the best risk/ benefit projects in Canada; it just doesn’t benefit me.

So, thank you to B.C. for helping in my retirement. If you’re under 65 though, or a native community that could have prospered, you have my sympathy.

Jeff Brown, Edmonton