(Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Dave Barry

COVID-19

Mayor looking forward to role of Trans Mountain pipeline in economic recovery

Apr 22, 2020 | 1:37 PM

KAMLOOPS – A controversial construction project could play a key role in Kamloops` economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Mayor Ken Christian says the Trans Mountain pipeline construction will be critical to the city.

Prior to the pandemic, the construction timeline for the project called for work to be well underway by the summer. However the project was slowed April 1st when Trans Mountain submitted a memo to the Canada Energy Regulator, with a revision to the schedule. Trans Mountain made the move when concerns rose over the potential impact of the pandemic.

Initial groundwork for the pipeline is already underway. In fact, Christian says about 100 people are in Kamloops now, actively working on the pipeline. But the real impact will be in the fall when he expects construction on the river crossing project gets underway.

“It will be critical to the economic recovery in this community,“ said Christian.

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Christian says the money generated from the paycheques of construction is helping to feed the Kamloops economy today. And when construction is over and the workers are gone, Christian says the city will continue to benefit.

“Once that asset is complete, it will be taxed as an asset and that goes into our utility funding and that in fact helps residential taxpayers in this community,“ said Christian.

Christian said other major construction projects will also be supporting the Kamloops economy in the months to come as the city attempts to recover from the economic impact of COVID-19. He says the says the city is in a position to benefit from the construction of the new tower at the Royal Inland Hospital and school construction work in Valleyview.

“Those are continuing to add to the local economy in terms of employees and subtrades that they are using in the community as well as the building permit fees that we generate.“