The B.C. government admits more beaches could be affected by the Burnaby oil spill, following the shutdown of a beach on the north side of Burrard Inlet Friday, after crude oil contaminated birds and marine life there.

Oil was seen Thursday on the water at Cates Park's beach, prompting its immediate closure.
(CBC)

The oil first entered Burrard Inlet on Tuesday, when a road crew using an excavator hit an underground oil pipeline near Barnet Highway and Hastings Street.

The B.C. Ministry of the Environment decided to close the beach in Belcarra Regional Park after officials there spotted geese suffering from contamination and starfish washing up on the shore.

"We saw a couple of geese that looked like they were in trouble," said Chris Schoenefuhs, the park operator.

The Environment Ministry's shoreline assessment crew was out all morning, surveying the water and going down the coastline to inspect the situation.

On Thursday, Cates Park's beach in North Vancouver was closed after crude oil showed up on the shore there.

North Vancouver Mayor Richard Walton visited the beach on Friday.

Birds feed at Cates Park's beach despite the contamination.
(CBC)

"It's very clear there are large clumps of oil on the beach," he told CBC News.

Lance Sundquist, head wildlife officer for the Environment Ministry, said they can't predict how much further the oil will travel.

"Will more oil arrive on the beaches? We hope not," he said. "However, there is a potential we will see some additional beaches getting some type of oil."

At about 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, a road crew digging with an excavator on Inlet Drive near the intersection of the Barnet Highway and Hastings Street ruptured a Kinder Morgan pipeline carrying crude oil from a refinery to a refuelling facility on the harbour.

An environmental crew continues to clean up oil on the water in Burrard Inlet Friday.
(CBC)

A total of 234,000 litres of oil shot up to 30 metres into the air for about 25 minutes, covering some nearby homes, and oozing into Burrard Inlet.

The oil spill into the inlet frustrated a Lower Mainland First Nations band in the area.

The Tsleil-Waututh First Nation for years has been working to rehabilitate 15 clam beds destroyed by years of pollution but now said the project is in jeopardy.

"My children were able to dig clams with us, but it's my grandchildren [who] don't even know what it means to dig for clams," said Ernie George, a band council member.