Energy East Pipeline construction training premature, David Coon says

Training for construction of TransCanada Corp.'s proposed Energy East Pipeline is set to begin in Saint John, officials announced on Thursday, even though the project has not yet been approved.

​TransCanada has delivered large sections of oil pipe into the city, which will be used to train hundreds of construction workers in New Brunswick.

"We need to focus on creating jobs but also on giving people the skills to do those jobs," Premier Brian Gallant said during a news conference. "This pipe will do just that."

​TransCanada donated the 42-inch steel pipes and covered the transportation costs from Saskatoon, while the Labourers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 900 will provide the training for workers, which will include pipe handling, coating, and sandblasting.

"By having the real-sized pipe that will be handled on Energy East, we’ll be able to train our workers and they will be job-ready for when the project moves forward," France Godbout, training co-ordinator for Local 900, said in a statement.

"They will be better workers at the end of it because they had access to the real thing," he said.

Company confident in 2018 start

​TransCanada wants to use a combination of existing and new pipelines to carry crude oil from Alberta to export terminals in Quebec and New Brunswick and is currently going through the regulatory approval process with the National Energy Board.

The company hopes to begin construction in 2016, with the first oil deliveries to arrive in New Brunswick in 2018.

Francois Poirier, president of the Energy East project, is firm in his belief that the pipeline will be in service by then.

This suggests TransCanada is predetermining or assuming what the outcome of the national regulatory process will be, which we are all supposed to have faith in.- David Coon, Green Party Leader

"The current schedule stands," he said.

But Green Party Leader David Coon questioned the optics of Thursday's announcement.

"There have been no approvals given by the National Energy Board and this suggests TransCanada is predetermining or assuming what the outcome of the national regulatory process will be, which we are all supposed to have faith in," said Coon.

Still, the trainers contend the time to learn is now.

"You gotta get a head start," said Scott Mullen, a long-time instructor with the Labourers Training Institute.

"You can't wait until someone calls you and says, ‘We need 200 workers, because those 200 workers take many, many, many weeks to really bring up to par," he said.

And nothing beats hands-on experience, Mullen added.

As part of the proposed $12 billion project, TransCanada plans to construct 500 kilometres of pipeline in New Brunswick from the Quebec border to the Irving Canaport facility, which is located at the entrance to Saint John Harbour.

The pipeline is expected to create approximately 2,300 direct and indirect jobs in New Brunswick over the span of the project.