Construction preparation has begun on a 7 km section of the Trans Mountain Expansion project in Kamloops, which will take approximately seven months to complete. The start of pipeline construction is another key milestone for the project.
“It is good news for workers in the region and an important step forward on the path to building this critical piece of infrastructure,” says Ian Anderson, president and CEO of Trans Mountain Corporation. “We know these are challenging times for many communities and we are pleased to be able to contribute safely to the economy in Kamloops. Trans Mountain knows that getting to work is important, but it must go hand in hand with a strong and unwavering commitment to the safety of our workforce and communities.”
A workforce of up to 50 people is in the city this month and that number will swell to approximately 600 workers at the peak of construction in late summer.
Construction spending in the Kamloops area is expected to be more than $450 million over the next two years with additional workforce spending of more than $40 million for goods and services at local businesses. After expansion, Trans Mountain’s annual contribution to the City of Kamloops in taxes will increase by $1.2 million to $2.8 million.
Trans Mountain has signed a Community Benefit Agreement with the City of Kamloops that will see a $700,000 contribution toward funding community projects. Trans Mountain also has a partnership with Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops that will see a $500,000 contribution over 20 years toward funding annual awards for students in Trades, Social Work and Applied Research programs, and the Environmental Science graduate program.
“We are pleased that Trans Mountain is getting this portion of the project underway in Kamloops. As we face the new realities of today, we are confident in the measures they have put in place to ensure the safety of our community, and we are excited about the economic activity for local businesses and workers the project will bring over the next few years. This project will help us with our economic recovery plan and provide much needed benefits to our city,” said Kamloops Mayor Ken Christian.
