Approval of the replacement of Enbridge Pipeline’s Line 3 and the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline projects on Nov. 30, was welcome news for the Petroleum Services Association of Canada (PSAC).
“We recognize these were not easy decisions for the government to make, however, opening the way for Canada’s responsibly developed oil to reach international markets will provide jobs and economic benefits to all Canadians,” said Mark Salkeld, PSAC’s president and CEO.
“Canada’s oil and gas services sector has been extremely hard hit by the downturn in commodity prices over the last two years, having laid off tens of thousands of workers, many of whom are middle class wage earners. These new pipeline projects will mean not only construction jobs, but thousands of additional jobs for the ongoing operation of the pipelines, for the development and production of oil to fill the pipelines throughout their lifespan, and for all the services, manufacturing and suppliers of equipment and materials involved in the vast supply chain that spans all of Canada. Pipelines truly are national initiatives,” he said.
International access also means Canada can receive world prices for its oil, the benefits of which are shared with all Canadians through royalties and taxes to governments that help fund health-care and education, an accompanying media release stated.
People in many other countries dream of enjoying the same standards of living of Canadians. Supplying them with the natural resources with which Canada is so abundantly blessed, will help them achieve this goal, PSAC said in their statement.
Approval of Line 3 will help relieve the bottleneck access to the United States markets and improve the safety and integrity of aging infrastructure recognizing pipelines are the safest way to transport oil. Just as cars are built far safer and more efficient than they were 50 years ago, so are pipelines.
PSAC went on to state the Nov. 30 announcement was welcome news for them and their members since it signaled the federal government is serious about finding ways for Canada’s natural resources to reach global markets and that the country was open for business, paving the way for continued capital investment.
“We look to the government now to support these projects through to completion,” the release stated.
PSAC is the national trade association representing the service, supply and manufacturing sectors of the upstream petroleum industry.
