On September 11th in Edmonton, Local 1325 hosted Prime Minister Carney for the announcement of the first five projects that will be expedited through the Federal Government’s new Major Projects Office (MPO). This office will streamline regulatory processes and get UBC members out to work more quickly on the nation-building infrastructure projects that Canada is committing to.
During this announcement, the Prime Minister named the following projects will be the first to be referred to the MPO for consideration:
- LNG Canada Phase 2, Kitimat, British Columbia
- Darlington New Nuclear Project, Bowmanville, Ontario
- Contrecœur Terminal Container Project, Contrecœur, Québec
- McIlvenna Bay Foran Copper Mine Project, East-Central Saskatchewan
- Red Chris Mine expansion, Northwest British Columbia
Phase 1 of the Kitimat LNG Canada project delivered over 6.9 million hours of work UBC members, with over 6,700 members dispatched to the site. Phase 2 of the project will double LNG Canada’s production of liquefied natural gas, making it the second-largest facility of its kind in the world. It is expected to attract significant private-sector investment to Canada, contribute to our GDP growth, and support job creation and economic development in local communities. UBC members will continue to see employment opportunities through Phase 2 of the project.
UBC members from Local 397 are already heavily involved with The Darlington New Nuclear Project. This project will make Canada the first G7 country to have an operational small modular reactor (SMR). The project has the potential to position Canada as a global leader in the deployment of SMR technology and UBC members will be at the forefront of this development of national importance.
UBC pile drivers were also on-site during the early stages of the Red Chris Mine expansion.
The announcement of these first five “nation-building projects” marks a bold step forward in Canada’s commitment to building critical infrastructure quickly and efficiently to increase our economic resilience in the face of an ever-changing global economy. These projects will create meaningful work and lasting careers for our members, and we are proud to see this Government’s commitment to organized labour signified by hosting this announcement with the Carpenters’ Union.
