The district’s board of directors voted 21-4 in opposition of the terminal after hearing from more than 40 community members speak on the proposal.

Approval power for the terminal lies with Port of Metro Vancouver but the Metro Vancouver board hopes their stance will put pressure on PMV to delay the project’s approval until a health impact assessment has been completed.

Coal Alliance spokesman Allan Fryer said the group was disappointed with the decision.

“Essentially, they passed a resolution asking for more information on the review process for permit applications by Neptune Terminals and Fraser Surrey Docks, and in the same breath voted to oppose coal shipments from the Fraser River,” Fryer said in a statement Friday.

“They made up their minds in the absence of the very information they were seeking to make a decision.”

“We also don’t think that all of the directors took a balanced view during their deliberations, or took into account the responsible and safe operations of the terminals and railways, and the economic benefits that the coal industry and Port Metro Vancouver have on all British Columbians,” he added.

Issues of health, safety and environmental protection are priorities for the industry, Fryer said.

“It’s important to note that ours is already a heavily regulated industry with no fewer than 10

government agencies responsible for oversight. We have been shipping coal through Port Metro

Vancouver for decades, and we have seen steady improvements in air quality even as activity at our terminals has increased over the years.”

The controversial expansion at Fraser Surrey Docks would increase the port’s capacity for exporting coal to 4 million tons per annum initially, later doubling to 8Mtpa.

PMV is North America’s largest export port by tonnage and trades $75 billion in goods annually.

Cities and even the regional district have no jurisdiction over the terminal, apart from an air emissions permit Metro Vancouver would be expected to issue.