Construction of a seven-kilometre urban section of the Trans Mountain pipeline twinning project has begun in Kamloops.
Trans Mountain Corp. said in a press release that the work will employ 30 to 50 people throughout June, and will ramp up to roughly 600 at peak construction by the late summer or early fall.
“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 CEO Ian Anderson said in a press release. “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.”
The project may be a boon for Kamloops hotels, which would have seen a drop in businesses due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on travel and tourism.
Pipeline workers will be housed at hotels in Kamloops. Trans Mountain says the company will spend more than $450 million over two years, and estimates local workforce spending at $40 million for goods and services.
Once the pipeline twinning project is complete, Trans Mountain estimates it will pay $1.2 million to $2.8 million in municipal taxes in Kamloops.
Trans Mountain also signed a Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) with the City of Kamloops, with $700,000 to be spent on local community projects.
Trans Mountain will also contribute $500,000 to Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops over 20 years to towards trades, social work, applied research and environmental science at the university.
Keep reading in Business in Vancouver
Check out the video gallery here