N.B. Premier says pipeline the answer to job creation

MONCTON, N.B. – New Brunswick Premier Brian Gallant’s confident the Energy East Pipeline Project will help the province through its economic slump.

“There’s a big stimulus in the beginning with a huge investment in infrastructure in the beginning of this project,” he said. “But on top of that we’re going to have huge opportunities to start tertiary industries to add value to that crude oil and to ensure the industry that is very valuable to us already is going to continue to work.”

Gallant made the statements at a breakfast Thursday hosted by the Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce. He was there to speak about job creation plans for the province.

Gallant told the audience he reiterated his support for the project on a recent trip to Alberta.

“We thought it was very important that I go down there and make it very clear that I support and we supported the energy east pipeline from day one,” he said, noting safety is also an important issue.

“That industry as a whole they take safety to a whole other level in terms of importance,” he said.

The multi-billion dollar project will carry 1.1 million barrels of crude oil per day from Alberta to the east coast’s Irving refinery in Saint John.

Although Saint John will see a major part of the work, Moncton could also benefit from the construction spike.

Ben Champoux is CEO for the business development group, 3+ Corporation and says Moncton’s place as a transportation hub could play in its favour.

“We’re very fortunate to have an international airport, we’re very fortunate to have three of the top ten largest trucking companies,” he said, noting businesses involved in their project could take advantage of their services.

“Every big private sector investments that are worth billions of dollars need a huge supply chain,” he said. “There’s no doubt that many New Brunswick companies and many companies from the south east and greater Moncton could benefit from that.”