Acheson, Alta. 鈥� In what might be a case of d茅j脿 vu, Trans Mountain Corporation has again kicked off mainline construction on the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion project (TMX) on Dec. 3
Company president and CEO Ian Anderson was joined by federal Minister of Natural Resources Seamus O鈥橰egan and Alberta Energy Minister Sonja Savage, among other dignitaries, at Atcheson, Alta., the western end of the first spread, or section, of the project.
鈥淭oday is a very important milestone of this project, as you can imagine,鈥� Anderson said. 鈥淵ou can see pipe on the ground, and within days, maybe a couple of weeks, that pipe will be in the ground. It will be in the ground before Christmas. We鈥檙e progressing steadily on all the permitting and regulatory aspects of this project.鈥�
He noted the project was conceptualized in 2008-09.
The pipe 小蓝视频 used came from EVRAZ Regina. There is $40 million committed on that spread alone to Indigenous contractors.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a journey, as many of you have watched over many years,鈥� Anderson said.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been resilient. We maintained our commitment to this important project. And with the support of the federal government, in 2018, when they acquired ownership of this project, we were able to continue our hard work,鈥� Anderson said.
鈥淭his project would not be here, today, without the tremendous support of both the federal and provincial government, who have encouraged us all along the way, who reminded us of the importance of this project on the national scale, and reminded us this is a project of utmost importance to Canadians of all locations.鈥�
鈥淪o, we鈥檙e very proud to kick this off on the lands of Treaty 6, the lands of the Enoch Cree.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檝e learned a tremendous amount over the course of the last couple of years, notwithstanding an ownership change. We鈥檝e learned that there are local interests, there are local concerns we need to take care of. We needed to adapt our route. We needed to install different kinds of pipe. We needed to install that pipe in different ways than perhaps traditionally would have been done, in some locations, to respect some of the local habitat.
鈥淲e now have 57 support agreements with different Indigenous communities between Edmonton and Vancouver Island. A year and a half ago, that number was 43. So, we鈥檝e continued our work to build support, to build inclusion, to share the prosperity with everyone in this great country of ours,鈥� Anderson said.
He said they are prepared to invest in the best technology, not only for building the pipeline, but to monitor it. That includes leak detection technology that will be first of its kind on a project of this type in the world.
鈥淲e will be using thicker-grade pipe in locations where regulations don鈥檛 tell us we have to, but our standards of performance, and expectations for this asset tell us we should,鈥� Anderson said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e doing many things to make this the best darn pipeline in the world, and trust me, that鈥檚 what our objective is. Our objective is to finish this project within the next 30 to 35 months. I鈥檝e always said it would take 30 to 36 months to build this project, and we鈥檙e starting that as we stand here today.鈥�
He said the focus of the Trans Mountain team is to deliver the project safely, with no one harmed, no environmental harm, in a commercially viable way, so that the current owner can sell it back to business.
O鈥橰egan noted that since late September, more than 2,200 people have been hired for the project. 鈥淐anadian prosperity has, and will continue to be driven by people who know how to build things. Real things. Tangible things. Things built by people helping, in this instance, to move our resources from Alberta to new markets where they are needed.鈥�
鈥淭oday marks the beginning of construction on Spread 1 of the Trans Mountain Expansion Pipeline. It is a project that will help our energy sector strong, in the short term, by providing good jobs. In the medium term, by getting our oil resources to new, non-U.S. markets, and getting access to better prices,鈥� O鈥橰egan said. 鈥淚n the long term, by generating millions of dollars in new revenue that will fund technologies and green energy solutions, solutions that will ensure that Alberta will remain an energy leader as we work together to fight climate change.鈥�
Working together with Indigenous communities, he said the project can be an important step on the path to reconciliation.
鈥淭his is a good day for our energy sector. This is a good day for Alberta. This is a good day for Canada,鈥� O鈥橰egan said.
鈥淲e were able to get to today, because, and only because, we did things the right way, every step of the way, taking the time that we needed to meaningfully consult with Indigenous peoples, and
O鈥橰eagan thanked his predecessor, Amarjit Sohi, for his work on the project. The former Edmonton MP, who had been Minister of Natural Resources, was one of the federal Liberal cabinet minister who lost their seat in the October federal election.
鈥淏y committing to do things the right way, we are seeing pipe on the ground, that will soon be in the ground,鈥� O鈥橰egan said. 鈥淭his pipeline will be completed.鈥�
Savage said, 鈥淵es, today is a very exciting step forward for Trans Mountain, for our province and our country. It鈥檚 about time. We鈥檙e glad we鈥檙e here now. Today is a step forward for economic growth and prosperity for all of Canada. For far too long, the Trans Mountain Expansion Project was mired in uncertainty, which makes the celebration today that much sweeter.鈥�
She said it will result in billions of dollars in revenue and spur thousands of good playing jobs all across Canada.
Asked about when construction would start in other areas, Anderson said, 鈥淲hen we鈥檙e able to start work on a given spread, we will start work, season allowing.鈥�
Land approval was given from Canada Energy Regulator two weeks earlier on Spread 2, he noted, and crews are 小蓝视频 mobilized, with work expected to start in early January. Permits are still 小蓝视频 worked out in British Columbia.
鈥淢y prediction is, by next spring, we will certainly be working in British Columbia, in Spreads 3 and 4, In the North Thompson. We鈥檒l likely have some work going on in Kamloops by that time as well, if not sooner,鈥� he said. Other spreads in the Coquihalla and Fraser Valley wouldn鈥檛 start until later summer or next fall, 2020, based on the season and permits. There are seven spreads in total.
鈥淚 would envision by next spring and next summer we will have clear line of sight to exactly how much work we鈥檙e doing everywhere,鈥� Anderson said, adding, 鈥淲e have been working in Burnaby for about a year and a half.鈥�
Anderson expected pipe to be in the ground on Spread 1 before Christmas.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a 30 to 36 month build. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 be working in the Coquihalla in the middle of winter.鈥�
He pointed out that nothing has gone to plan for ten years.
Asked about the cost, Anderson said 鈥淯ntil I have the schedule, I don鈥檛 have a firm idea of costs.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 such an important day for the energy sector in this country,鈥� O鈥橰egan said. He noted the naysayers have been put to rest, saying, 鈥淟ook around you. This is 小蓝视频 built.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e determined to build it right, with our contractors like SA Energy,鈥� Anderson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a long journey to get here.鈥�
The first time around, in 2017, the contractor for the Alberta portion of the project was Midwest Pipelines. After Canada nationalized the project in 2018, non-union contractors were forced to give up certain spreads of the work due to international union pressure. SA Energy is a contractor with a unionized workforce under the major international pipeline trade unions.
The event kicked off pipeline construction in Greater Edmonton (Spread 1), which includes approximately 50 kilometres of pipeline running from Trans Mountain鈥檚 Edmonton Terminal in Sherwood Park to Acheson, Alta. SA Energy Group, the general pipeline construction contractor for Spread 1, has begun pipe transport, stringing and other preparation work that is necessary before pipeline installation. The press conference was held on a section of right-of-way where the topsoil stripping had already taken place. A large excavator was in the background, as well as several joints of pipe on skids.
Trans Mountain officially re-started construction on the Trans Mountain Expansion Project on August 22, 2019, with work underway at the Westridge Marine Terminal, Burnaby Terminal and at pump stations in Alberta. The work includes site preparation activities, in-water construction of new shipping berths, foreshore extension work and facility upgrades.
As of October 31, 2019, close to six million person hours have been spent on the Project. Trans Mountain has received more than half of the pipe needed for construction and are staging it at storage yards along the route.
