BURNABY, B.C. – The Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA) has requested intervenor status in a B.C. Supreme Court action aimed at stopping the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline. ICBA wants construction on the pipeline to start this fall.
This action puts the largest private sector investment in B.C. history in jeopardy, along with 58,037 person-years of construction employment, 802,000 person-years of ongoing, operating employment over 20 years, and nearly $50 billion in government revenue over the next two decades.
Getting Canada’s natural resources to global markets is a key driver of economic growth and prosperity.
“Responsible resource development is one of Canada’s time-tested creators of jobs and wealth. There is no jurisdiction in the world that develops resources in a more sustainable way than we do in B.C. and Canada,” said Chris Gardner, ICBA President. “Workers in B.C. will be first-in-line for the thousands of jobs, skills training and apprenticeship opportunities that will flow from this project.”
Trans Mountain has worked on their plan for years and was approved by the Trudeau government after a 29-month independent review by the National Energy Board (“NEB”). The NEB imposed 157 conditions that Kinder Morgan must meet during the construction and operation of the pipeline.
In January of this year, the provincial government added a further 37 provincial environmental and technical conditions that Kinder Morgan must meet in order for the project to proceed.
“It’s about balance,” said Gardner. “The approval process was independent and rigorous. As a result, the pipeline will be built in a way that protects the environment, involves First Nations and provides B.C. with significant economic benefits.”
ICBA is being joined by the Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA), Canadian Iron, Steel and Industrial Workers’ Union (CISAIWU), and Canada West Construction Union (CWU) in the application to intervene that was filed last week.
Anti-pipeline groups Pipe Up and Democracy Watch claim the B.C. Government was in a conflict of interest because the BC Liberal Party accepted contributions from Kinder Morgan. Should the court accept such an argument, virtually every decision made by any government at any level could be overturned, if a project proponent, a union, a small business or an individual has ever lawfully participated in the democratic process by making contributions to a political party.
See ICBA’s application to the court HERE.
We need Site C for the furture
The 84 members of the Collaborative Group of Landowners Affected by Pipelines Association aka C.G.L.A.P. are the Fraser valley landowners whom will host the expansion of the pipeline. We support the expansion. We have not signed on at this time as it is in a negotiations process. We will soon meet with Kinder Morgan Canada President Ian Anderson so that we can “Get to YES!” C.G.L.A.P. is already an Intervenor in the TMEP process. If I can be of assistance, please do not hesitate in contacting me.
It will be quite a few years before all biocarbon fuels are no longer used. They cannot be phased out on short note with no backup plan that is irresponsible. Also, the pipelines are the safest method of transferring these fuels with modern xray and welding techniques and double piping. I say support the workers and our own oil and gas supplies by allowing the pipelines through. It would also be good to have our own refining processes done here so the shipping of these fuels are safer. Not to mention the boost to economy! ! Wind and solar sources are good assistive power sources for vehicles but are not consistent on output. We still need the fuels yet until technology improves furher. We need the economy NOW before you ruin our province by dragging it down.
Clearly the provincial government does not have the tools to prevent the construction. If the various permits are denied, then Kinder Morgan makes an application of “Right of Entry”, no different than if a landowner does not like the compensation package and denies access. The Federal Department of Natural Resources has issued the “Certificate of Public Conveniency and Necessity.” The CPCN is the Federal governments blessing to go forward and the NEB can easily issue the Right of Entry to proceed if need be.