Burnaby city council isn't backing down from its opposition to the B.C. Liberal government's Gateway program.

"We're into a major showdown with the province on the Gateway project," Mayor Derek Corrigan told the Straight. "The City of Burnaby has indicated to the government that we're not prepared to sign a memorandum of agreement or negotiate a memorandum of agreement until they answer the questions that we posed in our earlier reports."

Corrigan said the provincial government hasn't addressed concerns previously raised by the city, from increased air pollution to the upkeep of city roads that will be affected by increased traffic. According to a Burnaby staff report, a provincial analysis indicated that the Gateway program "will single-handedly increase the region's traffic-related greenhouse gases by 2.6%".

"We're concerned about the Livable Region strategy and the induced growth that's going to occur in the Fraser Valley as a result of this," Corrigan said.

The province wants Burnaby to sign an agreement on the transfer of city properties that are needed in the plan. The Gateway program includes widening Highway 1 and twinning the Port Mann Bridge.

Burnaby city council voted 7–2 at its August 27 meeting to decline the provincial government's request to negotiate an agreement, according to Coun. Nick Volkow.

Volkow told the Straight that council expects the B.C. Liberal government to play hardball. "They can expropriate the properties and use other clubs to beat Burnaby into submission," he said.

Both Corrigan and Volkow pointed out that the cities of Vancouver and New Westminster are also opposed to the Gateway program.