The following first appeared on EnergyNow.ca on April 12, 2021:
The Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA) has been the leading voice of British Columbia’s construction industry for over 45 years, representing more than 3,300 members and clients who collectively employ over 100,000 people. ICBA members are non-union or non-affiliated union contractors and, taken together, these two segments of BC’s construction sector employment account for nearly 85 percent of the approximately 250,000 men and women who work in construction in British Columbia.
In 2017, ICBA merged with Energy Services BC, an association based in Fort St. John, BC, which represented oil and gas service companies. Today ICBA represents more than 100 members in northeast British Columbia operating in the oil and gas and energy sector.
Fighting to #Get2Yes on responsible resource development has been a key part of ICBA’s advocacy work for several years. ICBA proudly stands up for resource development communities, and over the past several years, has undertaken a number of initiatives aimed at supporting the energy sector, including:
1. Advocated strongly in support of the TransMountain pipeline expansion (“TMEP”), Site C, and LNG Canada / Coastal GasLink Pipeline.
- ICBA intervened to support TMEP in the reference case launched by the Government of BC in the BC Court of Appeal in the Government’s effort to shut down TMEP.
- ICBA was also proud to partner with the Alberta Enterprise Institute in front of the Alberta Court of Appeal supporting the Government of Alberta’s position opposing the new regulatory regime ushered in by Bill C-69.
2. Facilitated a “State of Energy” Town Hall with Alberta Premier Jason Kenney in June of 2020.
3. Stood up for the Energy sector in Ottawa, Alberta, and BC, by making submissions and appearances before committees supporting the energy sector on issues related to:
- BC Environmental Assessment Act Review
- National Energy Board review
- Duties/Tariffs on Large Modular Components
- Bill C-48 and Bill C-69, including participation in CAPP and CEPA working groups
- Federal Clean Fuel Standard
ICBA also produced a “Big Gas Tax” video that gained over 1 million views on social media and won best advocacy video in 2019 in North America, supporting TMEP. The link is here: icba.ca/biggas
When Energy East was cancelled and when one of Canada’s largest financial institutions considered suspending lending to companies in Canada’s energy sector, ICBA spoke up:
- https://vancouversun.com/opinion/op-ed/opinion-end-of-energy-east-pipeline-proposal-another-win-for-our-competitors
- https://financialpost.com/opinion/desjardins-is-making-a-big-mistake-caving-into-anti-oil-activists
Recently, ICBA launched a new mark, ICBA Energy, to support the hundreds of our members and the thousands of their employees who are working day-in and day-out in the oil and gas industry. Under this new brand, ICBA is continuing its federal and provincial government advocacy, speaking up for Canadian energy producers, pushing to cut red tape, and standing up for the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who depend on jobs in the energy sector to support their families and their communities.