TC Energy dismantling camp at Oyen

By Joan Janzen
joanjanzen@yahoo.com

The cancellation of the Keystone XL project is negatively impacting thousands of Canadians. Some of those Canadians were workers housed at the camp located at Oyen, Alberta. Calgary-based TC Energy estimates the cancellation will eliminate thousands of union worker jobs.

However construction workers on the pipeline became familiar faces in the small Alberta town of Oyen. One of the construction workers on the pipeline had been staying at the home of Oyen’s Mayor, Doug Jones. This employee, like so many others, was disappointed when the work was abruptly shut down.

Terry Cunha of TC Energy commented on the shut down. “The process will take a few months. We will be wrapping up construction activities. Activities along the right-of-way will include tie-ins, backfilling and clean-up of the 146 km of pipeline installed between Bindloss and Monitor in Alberta. We will also wrap up activities at our pump station sites. Following that, we will ensure that the installed infrastructure is safe and secure and that we properly demobilize from our construction sites prior to the planned seasonal pause. We will also be returning with crews in the summer of 2021 to complete all clean-up and restoration work on the right-of-way.”

Meanwhile in Oyen, work crews continue to dismantle the pipeline camp on the west side of town. The modular suites are being separated and are being prepared for transport. Oyen business owners will surely miss serving the hundreds of tradespeople who had temporarily moved to the area to work on the project. Many business owners in Oyen are disappointed with the decision to shut down the pipeline, as it will also have a negative impact on their places of business. There is already considerably less vehicles parked downtown in Oyen since the project was cancelled.

Terry Cunha said, “Obviously, we are very disappointed by the decision, and have suspended activities. We would like to thank our supporters who share our disappointment, including our partners, the Government of Alberta and Natural Law Energy. We would also like to thank the labour leaders and regulatory agencies who helped advance the project.”

PHOTO:

Work crews continue to dismantle the pipeline camp on the west side of Oyen. The modular suites are being separated and prepared for transport. PHOTO BY DIANA WALKER