Historic MoU signed for work on Energy East

TransCanada Corp. along with the senior representatives of the four major pipeline unions and the Pipe Line Contractors Association of Canada (PLCAC) have come together to sign a MOU for work on the Energy East Pipeline Project. The MOU ensures that thousands of the skilled pipeline trade jobs required to build the project will be awarded to members of the PLCAC and the four union partners.

The groups came together to reinforce the fact that the work needed to construct the privately financed, CAN$15.7 billion crude oil pipeline means thousands of quality jobs for their members.

"This MOU signing is very significant for TransCanada," said Russ Girling, TransCanada's President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are committed to hiring the best workers this country has to offer for the over 14 000 jobs Energy East will create annually across Canada during the nine years it will take to develop and build the pipeline. And above all, we are committed to ensuring Energy East is built safely.

"Pipelines remain the safest and least GHG-intensive way of transporting the crude oil Canadians need. Energy East gives our country the ability to use Canadian oil in its refineries rather than continuing to import the 700 000 bbls of foreign oil we import every day," concluded Girling.

"This country's vast pipeline network has improved Canadians' quality of life for generations, and those pipelines were proudly put in the ground by the organisations that are together here today," said Lyall Nash, Chair of Canadian Pipeline Advisory Council. "The opportunity to work on the country's largest pipeline project builds on that solid foundation to ensure that quality of life continues for generations into the future and the project will be built to the highest safety standards."

"We are proud to sign this MOU ensuring our members will have a role to play in this important nation-building project, just as they have for over 60 years on pipeline projects across the country. It goes without saying that pipelines are the safest way to move the oil products currently transported by rail and truck. Add that to the fact that we import so much of the oil Canadians need, building this pipeline just makes sense. It's the safest, most efficient and most environmentally responsible option," said Neil Lane, Executive Director of PLCAC.

"We have represented people in the pipe trades for over 125 years. By the time they reach their accreditation through a rigorous training and apprenticeship program, these tradespeople can work on the most sophisticated systems anywhere, and have a thorough knowledge of the scientific principles required to complete this work safely. We are proud to bring that skillset to the Energy East Pipeline Project," said John Telford, International Vice-President of UA.

"From being the safest and most environmentally responsible option for transporting oil, to providing layers of economic benefit including tax revenues that pay for things like schools, roads and hospitals, this pipeline makes sense for the future of this country. I'm so proud to be here today for this historic step for the benefit of Canadians and the Canadian middle class," Telford concluded.

"Pipeline construction work requires a large number of highly skilled workers, which in turn creates high paying jobs for Canadians," said Joe Mancinelli, International Vice-president of LiUNA. "A project of Energy East's magnitude can generate the annual income for a worker and his or her family. This MOU to work on Energy East provides our members across the country and across the pipeline route with an opportunity to contribute to a monumental project for this country that will help restore the strength of the middle class."

"Beyond the significant number of jobs this project will create through its first few years, there are over 3300 direct and indirect jobs that will be created annually during the first 20 years of operations. These jobs can't be ignored and they ensure a basis for strong work opportunities for our membership decades into the future. I am proud IUOE's signature is on this MOU," said Lionel Railton, Canadian Director for the IUOE.

"The direct employment created by this project doesn't even take into account the vast number of 'spin-off' jobs that will be needed to support building this project. Work across our membership such as trucking and transportation, construction materials, manufacturing, food services, airlines, hotels, automotive and communications will all benefit from the construction of the Energy East project. That means more good paying jobs and that's why we're here today proudly signing this MOU," said Gary Kitchen, National Representative for Teamsters Canada.

Edited from press release by Angharad Lock

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/project-news/15072016/historic-mou-signed-for-work-on-energy-east-2777/