Does British Columbia rely on the jobs created through the proposed Trans Mountain pipeline?
This page builds on information from a Tsleil-Waututh Nation report that assesses the proposed Trans Mountain pipeline and tanker project. You can read and download the full report here.
British Columbia does not rely on the jobs created through the proposed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.
Permanent jobs created:
- Trans Mountain promises that the pipeline would create 50 permanent jobs in British Columbia, and 40 in Alberta.
Temporary jobs created:
- Trans Mountain has been unclear about how many temporary jobs would be created for construction, which would take place between 2017 and 2019 — within only 2 years.
- According to CRED, Trans Mountain has not stated whether they would employ British Columbians, other Canadians, or temporary foreign workers.
Food and agriculture businesses rely upon healthy environmental conditions for growing food.
Jobs lost:
- Unifor and the Alberta Federation of Labour estimate that the lost jobs, the lost economic wealth, and the crowding out of existing jobs in other sectors (e.g. commercial fishing) that would arise from building the proposed pipeline, outweigh its economic benefits (Allan, 2016, p. 31)
- According to CRED, the jobs of about 200,000 people in the Lower Mainland (in industries like real estate, tourism, hospitality, high tech, and film) rely on the health of the natural environment and Vancouver’s greenest city brand. An oil spill caused by pipeline or resulting tanker traffic, which is highly likely to happen, would put the jobs of about 200,000 people at risk.
- A 2012 study on the potential economic impact of a tanker spill on ocean-based industries in British Columbia, conducted by the Fisheries Centre of the University of British Columbia found that a tanker spill could cause job losses of up to 43% among coastal industries.
Many industries in BC, including tourism, rely on the natural environment to be successful.
More statistics (from CredBC):
Jobs lost:
Real Estate and Property Development – 121,143
Tourism – 93,578
Film – 36,000
Information Communication Technology – 36,600
Clean Tech – 8,400
Digital Media – 16,000
Agriculture – 4,814
We have the chance to focus on a sustainable economy by the stopping the proposed Trans Mountain pipeline. Click here to learn more.
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