One of Canada's biggest industrial companies has moved into Prince George.
With two major local pipeline projects in their book of plans, TransCanada Pipelines felt the time was right to establish an office in B.C.'s northern capital. They rented the street-level floor beneath the new Skyline Dental Clinic building on Kinsmen Place.
"We are very proud to be commencing what we believe will be a long relationship with the City of Prince George," said company president Rick Gateman. "This new office here will be home to our regional staff and base-camp for our two proposed pipeline projects."
Among the many local officials who attended the grand opening of the TransCanada office complex was MLA Shirley Bond, recently named provincial Minister of Jobs, Tourism, and Skills Training (and minister responsible for labour).
"This building and the staff that will occupy it are symbols of commitment to Prince George - to local investment, to local input in industrial activity, and to appropriate relations with our First Nations," she said. "TransCanada is known for their record of investing in local communities. [They have a record of understanding] you earn the right to do business by earning the the communities they work in."
Part of the festivities included an announcement that TransCanada was already sponsoring the BC Elders Gathering being held this year in Prince George (July 9 to 11) hosted by the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation.
TransCanada also announced at the event that they were the Closing Ceremonies presenting sponsor of the 2015 Canada Winter Games being held in Prince George about 600 days from now.
"Those magic moments at the Games will culminate in the closing ceremonies," said Games CEO Stuart Ballantyne, describing the emotional release and final hurrah all wrapped into those final events. "So thank you for this particular sponsorship. We look forward to working with you in your new home in Prince George and in creating those unique and magical experiences in Prince George."
Terms of the two sponsorships were not disclosed.
TransCanada is currently planning two new natural gas pipeline projects in northern British Columbia: Coastal GasLink Pipeline Project and Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Project. They have already done 50 years of pipeline business in B.C.
According to TransCanada statements, the Coastal GasLink pipeline project is a proposed natural gas pipeline from the Dawson Creek area to the liquid natural gas liquefaction facility proposed to be developed by Shell Canada Ltd. and its partners near Kitimat. Pending regulatory approvals and final corporate investment decisions, TransCanada expects to commence construction in 2015 with in-service targeted toward the end of the decade.
The Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Project is a proposed natural gas pipeline that originates near the District of Hudson's Hope to a proposed liquefied natural gas facility for Progress Energy Canada Ltd. on Lelu Island within the District of Port Edward. Pending the same decision-making process, that too is expected to begin construction in 2015 and be complete in 2018.
