I agree wholeheartedly that Albertans need to step up and build a world-class refinery in their back-yard. It seems there is overwhelming support across all levels of government and with the recent XL pipeline rejection, an opportune time for politicians in Canada to step up and create jobs. What is being done at present to bring this to public attention? It seems that rallies would garner support; are they being organized? Consider including a call to action on your website and a forum to discuss ways for Albertans to get together and make this dream a reality. I think it’s time for your movement to kick it into high gear!
It is sad to say that the interests of the people of Alberta and Canada as a whole are not the interests of our governments. I have been proud to call myself an Albertan for nearly 20 years now, having moved west for a brighter future. After reading all the comments left on this site I find that my thoughts are as much in tune with most of the storyies on here. Industry and the bottom line are what drives our economy and our future; unfortunately it also directs our governments into selling off our country’s resources at the expense of our own future. I love Canada and Alberta but I question the captains in charge of the ship. Keep our peoples’ and country’s interests in mind and use our resources to its full potential not some diluted attempt at telling us that the deal industry asked for is in our best interests – we all know better.
Well the Keystone pipeline has been denied by the U.S. Government. This is good news, except now I worry that our government is going to try and sell our oil elsewhere. It’s time the people of this country would realize that we know what’s best for our country. I am only nineteen years old but I care about where my taxes go. I would be willing to have some of my tax money go into developing refineries. People see it as a burden to pay extra tax now but the benefits would be huge. The price of anything oil based would come down because we wouldn’t be buying the finished product from the States. Imagine the creation of jobs to build and run a refinery. The way I see it is that the government is making their money off selling our resources and we the consumer get to pay the extra freight in buying finished products. Yes selling raw does make a “profit” in the government’s books but it shrinks my wallet and sells away my future. For that reason alone I’m PI***D off and have had enough. Lets make a change!
Upgraders are being planned in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland near Edmonton for a long time. Upgrading in Alberta creates the potential for more chemical plants, production plants in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland. This means more value added production, more jobs and more income for the Government. I agree with Premier Stelmach. Shipping bitumen out of Canada is like a farmer selling his top soil.
First and foremost, let’s keep the refining in Alberta or at the very least keep it in Canada! What is this government thinking, piping this hot commodity outside the country? Sometimes I feel like the PC’s are folding pocket aces.
There are going to be voters replacing the government if their decisions do not change; sending our jobs to the US will cause unrest, unemployment and revolt.
Building up-graders in Alberta to produce a value added product is a great idea as long as the plants are manufactured here in our province. The actual savings of manufacturing our plants overseas is greatly overshadowed and covered up by subsequent cost overruns in deficient materials and general quality. It’s very easy for procurement managers, with incentive bonuses, to show great savings at the beginning of a project. However, the true cost overruns don’t show up until the completion of a project and the accounting is always so convoluted that it is never directly attributed to shipping fabricated steel across the ocean. Let’s stop the greedy front end procurement and look at the bottom line. Let’s keep manufacturing in Alberta! We have the capacity as long as planning is not short sighted!
Congratulations to Canada, Alberta Government Premier Ed Stelmach’s team, NWU team and Alberta Industrial Heartland Association on the positive news of the signing of the BRIK agreement and also on the news of setting up a world-class environmental monitoring system for Alberta’s oil sands.
Along with other initiatives these are a few more steps forward to move to a better economy and living standards for all.
I was researching the Alberta bitumen to gain an understanding of the challenges involved in its refinement. I recently saw a segment outlining the projected potential. Even though I’m American, it would be prudent to Alberta’s long-term future to “refine it where you mine it”. There are several countries in need of the resource and many of them do not have the appropriate or responsible refining capabilities. Perhaps there is a balance that is struck in order to raise the capital and pursue creative “green” refining solutions. You may as well invest in being the best, most efficient, and cleanest at refining. You may as well be the example that the rest of the world has failed to be… My prayers and support are with you.
I believe what we truly need in this province is some balance. What I have seen is our government allowing these major U.S. companies have whatever it takes to make revenues happen. Why not slow down the development at a staggered pace, the tar sand is not going anywhere. If we are in control we can contol our destiny. Let’s upgrade 75% here, instead of 33% which will probably happen. If we let 33% happen let’s ship a tailings pipeline right beside the bitumen line. I am sure the oil giants would think twice about our dirty oil….
Do we live in a democracy? Or is it a capitalist country controlled by the largest corporations of the world? The public is not heard, Refine it where we mine it!!!
I have been a boilermaker from local 146 for 25 years and I cannot believe how our Canadian Government has no courage when it comes to standing up for what is ours. The US government imposed a soft wood lumber tariff years ago that really hurt the BC economy especially. If I was in government I would have imposed a tariff on the natural gas that same day. It is about time we stand up to the biggest bullies of the world and protect what is ours and keep the jobs in Canada. The government are wimps. Quit being such push overs and stand up for all Canadians.
Alberta needs to develop a system of disincentives for the exporting of jobs along with bitumen to the US. We need the jobs here in Alberta. The government should impose an export tax for every barrel of bitumen and oil exported out of Alberta, regardless of the destination. This can be off-set with tax credits for each level of refining and manufacturing which occurs within the borders of Alberta to repay investment in Alberta jobs locally.
I am a 488 B-pressure welder and have worked and lived in Alberta my whole life and it looks like there is no future for us here thanks to free trade and the global economy. We have a lot of resources here but with the new global economy it’s far cheaper to build everything offshore in pieces and ship it here and then hire massive amounts of foreign workers to put it together who then take their money out of the country when they are done here. Albertans are being left jobless with large mortgages to try to pay off and families to raise. How can first world countries compete globally with 2nd and 3rd world countries who have super low wages for high skilled jobs and billions of citizens competing for those low paying jobs which helps keep them low? They do not have to comply with safety laws, employment standards, environmental laws, and so on. If this is going to be an ongoing trend then we might as well never buy a house in this country because we will never be employed enough to pay for it unless the cost of living in this country greatly decreases. Please someone put an end to this! Any politician who runs a platform based on ending these practices in Alberta would be seen as a hero to the working class here and would get the votes of all the union brothers and then some.
As having been an industrial purchasing manager, buying for steel fabricators, and the pulp and paper industry, I’ve been saddened to witness the job losses over the years caused exclusively by the treasonable actions of our political elites. Treason no longer seems to be an offence, punishable in a court of law.
International agreements like NAFTA and cutbacks of protective import duties have devastated Canada’s manufacturing industry. Rubber stamp approvals of foreign ownership takeovers, with no benefit to Canadians, continue to be welcomed by political parties who seem to receive benefits from the foreign benefactors. The foreign owners have no allegiance to Canada, their sole intent is to maximize income for their shareholders. If this means shutting down operations in Canada, exporting underprocessed resources to other lands, so be it. Canada is not a self sufficient petro-chemical producer. Our freely allowed export of underprocessed logs, pulp, ores, natural gas, oil and bitumen certainly fails to address Canada’s best interests. Pressures by multi-national corporations and their influence on Canada’s media seem to overwhelm the desires of our elected to act for the benefit of Canadians. Their goal is to be re-elected, not cause unpleasantness for multi-nationals. Jobs, jobs and jobs was the propaganda we’ve been offerered–and voters took it hook, line, and sinker! Exporting underprocessed resources is most certainly creating long term jobs for non-Canadians.
A worthy choice of political leadership, federal and provincial, who openly and vociferously advocate withdrawal from international agreements which impede Canada’s sovereign right to act for the benefit of Canadians, should be the goal we seek. Exporting underprocessed/unrefined natural gas, oil, bitumen, ores, and other resources need to be drastically curbed. Upgraders and refineries with pipelines in Canada to deliver product first to Canadian consumers and chemical plants will provide jobs for Canadians. Let’s market finished product to the world instead of raw resources.
I have watched with interest the attempts by the US to pull out of the economic recession. As our major trading partner their economic health is critical to our continued success. As they have slowly began recovering it is obvious that this recovery is significantly different from their recovery from past recessions/depressions. Ordinarily job creation rebounds sharply once they begin to pull out of the recession but this time it isn’t happening. Why the change? The US has shipped a huge number of their jobs off shore where goods could be manufactured much cheaper than they could domestically. As US manufacturers built factories in China, Southeast Asia, Mexico, the Phillipines etc.they contributed significantly to the economies of those countries while the US economy struggled to cope with falling employment. They now find themselves wondering how to pull out of a recession when they have no manufacturing jobs, high unemployment and a domestic workforce that has no money to buy their products or even pay for their own homes. We in Alberta are in serious danger of making the same mistake as our neighbour to the south. We have already dessimated what had the potential to be the most efficient petrochemical manufacturing center in Canada through shortsighted actions on the part of our politicians and we appear on the verge of making the same mistake with our oilsands resources. As the US is discovering, an economic recovery without sustaining high paying jobs is a shell of a recovery doomed to failure. We need to upgrade and refine our oil resources here!
One reason why the foreign national companies have so much of the oil resources of Alberta go back to the days of the first oil field development plays in Alberta. Bay Street was approached to finance the exploration in Alberta, but they replied “We (Ontario) already have oil here; (Oil Springs) why would we want to invest any money in Alberta?” Well, hind sight is 20/20 and the answer to that question would be “To retain Canadian ownership of the oil”. Wall Street was quick to act and was quick to set up Canadian divisions of their companies to develop the oil resources of Western Canada. Canada missed an opportunity to create one of the largest oil companies in the world that day and the attempt to nationalize the oil with Petro Canada later turned out to be another government fiasco. More upgraders would be beneficial but what would the increased supply do to the economy? There were rumors of moving the Gulf Coast refineries inland to avoid the hurricanes. Maybe having more refining/upgraders here in Alberta could make that a reality.
A child could figure out that if you were thirsty and have milk but give it away so you can buy it back as ice cream makes no sense at all…so why would grown adults that run our country and our resources want to sell something for cheap to buy a refined product back for more….I just don’t get it!
I remember back in the early 90’s and Don Getty gave the okay for Alberta Pacific Forest Industries Inc. to build a pulp mill. At that time the approval was given provided Al-Pac build a paper machine within 3 years. Well here it is 20 years later and we are still sending our pulp to Japan and buying our paper from them. If the oil companies want to send our bitumen to the States or China to be upgraded, we should be taxing them and maybe they would change their minds. I work in the industry and it makes me sick to see what is going on. Exxon is building their modules in South Korea for their Kearl Lake Project and our construction workers sit at home without work. Take a drive by any mod yard in Edmonton and they are all idle. There is something very wrong with this picture!!!
“CANADA – IN A WONDERFUL WORLD”
Alberta – Canada’s ‘Energy Province.’
Though Canada is the second largest land mass in the world, it is one of the least populated countries. In Canada, along with two official languages, English and French, there are also over 100 other non-official languages that are spoken. There are more than 200 ethnic origins represented in Canada. Canada’s multi-cultural diversity places emphasis on equality and inclusiveness for all people.
Alberta has proven oil reserves of 171.3 billion barrels, including approximately 170 billion barrels of oil sands bitumen. Alberta’s responsible and environmentally friendly effort of oil sands growth offers tremendous economic opportunity for the province and the country. Along with other oil sand initiatives of Alberta, as a Canadian and Albertan I also support `Refine it where we Mine It`, Energy being Canada’s strategic advantage, encouraging the development of the energy sector and its entire value chain will leverage its vast resource base, providing even greater benefits for all Canadians and Albertans – more jobs, better living standards, better education, better health care, better social programs, more investments, more business. Eventually in a complete circle, a better Canada, better Alberta, benefits the world, as Canadians and Albertans have a history of being peaceful, giving and sharing. “We are among the best in the World, People, Resources, so let`s get it moving more and make a healthy and prosperous future for generations to come.”
Nineteenth and early twentieth century colonisations had one theme in common: the coloniser would import (plunder) the natural resources from the colonies in the crudest form possible, process it and export the final product to the colonies and other countries. Being the political master of the colonies, they could enforce rock bottom royalties, if any. Thus the natural resource provided little economic benefit to the colonies. Demise of political colonization by the middle of the twentieth century gave way to economic colonization. Huge oil and mining companies influenced governments through legal and illegal means to allow export of natural resources with least possible benefit to the host countries. This is very much overt in Africa but much more covert in other places around the world. Economic colonization and political colonization have many parallels such as exploitation of natural resources at fastest possible pace with little benefit to the host country. But there is a key difference, unlike political colonization; the economic colonization does not benefit any one country. Its sole purpose is the maximum profit to the corporations, even when it comes at the expense of people who inhabit the areas that the company is mining. Clearly in some ways economic colonization is less discriminatory than political colonization as the former is driven mainly by profit and cost considerations rather than political boundaries but it could be as devastating to the host countries as the political colonization. More recently oil and mining companies emerging from China (to a lesser extent from Russia) are distorting the boundaries between the two flavours of colonization that I discussed above. As the companies are state controlled, the decisions are not solely profit driven. It is very crucial that Albertans appreciate and understand these macro phenomena in order to make informed decisions on our own natural resources. The resource that we have is so immense and valuable that we and the next generation will have plenty even if we decide to export it in the crudest form possible. But we want to have sustainable economy for generations to come and have industrial base to support it, we must stop exporting raw minerals today. We have the capital, technical know-how and human resource to build a diverse economy. All we need is the will, no, I am not talking about political will but will of the people, will of the Albertans.
Please do not ship our jobs away!!!!! As a redseal journeyman carpenter I’ve seen my wage go down 15% overnight and now the prospect of having no job in the near future is looming.
As a working Albertan I totally support the addition of these upgraders. This project will be a great benefit to the economy of all Alberta, as well as all those workers from all over the country that come here to work, all year long!
While I can see the value in mining bitumen and shipping a small amount of it out of the province to plants which already exist…I have a hard time supporting massive shipping of bitumen out of the province to new upgraders and refineries south of the 49th.
I also have a hard time supporting the pipeline to Kitimat if it will result in new upgraders and refineries being built in Asia.
The consequences are staggering when we look at the long term impact to the economy of western Canada.
Once again we need to sit back and identify what is best for ourselves and future generations of Canadians, in a manner which promotes value added product before it leaves our boundaries.
Was it not Stelmach’s main election platform that if he were elected he would make sure Alberta oil was mined here and refined here and not shipped out raw? I voted for him but now feel very let down. I worked on the Enbridge Alberta clipper line as well as the Trans Canada pipeline from Hardisty to the US. We all felt like we were working on a job that would eventually be putting us out of work. They couldn’t get these pipelines built fast enough to get the raw bitumen to refineries in Texas, Oklahoma and Illinois and they are looking at building at least 2 more. All these pipelines do is eliminate Alberta and Canadian jobs. Why are we giving away our resourses, the next step will be all our water!!
With the demand for Alberta’s oilsands ever increasing as witnessed by foriegn investment pouring into the province it has become obvious that this province has been blessed with something very unique. An abundance of potential wealth barely seen anywere else on the globe. So what do we do with this potential abundance of wealth? First let me say that no one is immune to the repercussions of what actions are being taken by our government and big oil. You may find yourself saying “I don’t work in the oil industry so it doesn’t affect me”. This statement is far from the truth, we all have aquaintances of some sort that are directly or indirectly affected by the oil industry. And if not for your own well-being think of a son or daughter, niece or nephew, grandson or granddaughter who may choose to enter into a career in the oil industry.
Who do upgraders employ? Civil engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, chemical engineers, fabrication companies environmentalists, health and safety people, construction trades people. Secondary industries would include: insurance, hotel/motels, restaurants, clothing stores, gas stations — I could go on and on, but you have probably come to the conclusion that I would need to rewrite the yellow pages phone book.
What about the government’s loss of revenue? The loss of government revenue directly related to the loss of tens of thousands of jobs (federal and provincial income tax), tax from some business that services the upgraders. Here again, I could go on and on but I feel comfortable in sayingthat these tax losses over generations would certainly be in the billions of dollars.
In closing, I would like to reiterate to the people of Alberta of what each and everyone of us has witnessed in the last two years of global government and corporate perversion. Maybe, just maybe, this perversion has hit home. Take a moment if you will and think about that.
I am a Journeyman Plumber, and I have started an apprenticeship as a Pipefitter working in Aberta. Most of my work is in refineries/upgraders. I feel exporting our bitumen to other countries is one of the worst ideas for Alberta’s and Canada’s economy. With no upgraders there will be thousands of Albertans out of work and countless other Canadians, and the import of mods from other countries is just an insult to the Albertan trades men and women. There are mod yards all over Alberta, sitting idle while we give our work, our money and our future to the lowest bidder.
I have worked in the oil industry for 11 years now. I see no reason why our current governtment is allowing the shipment of raw bitumen down any pipeline to the states. Why would we mine, send it to them and buy it back at a higher cost. Makes no sense.
Other than upgraders for here I see no reason why there should be a couple of refineries built here also. We have it, we own it, we should refine and sell it. The resource is ours and we should be the ones profiting from it.
Few people are aware of the pipeline that is being built from Bruderheim (Edmonton) through some of the most environmentally sensitive land, to Kitimat BC where the terminal will accept Chinese tankers to load bitumen for refining in China. Why all this effort and risk when the answer lies here in Alberta? China will definitely not adhere to any environmentally sound practices and eventually (probably sooner than later) a Chinese tanker will run aground in the dangerous inland waterway to Kitimat (I served in the navy and travelled this channel many times and there is NO WAY! a tanker should be transitting that channel! Google Kitimat if your interested) The export of raw bitumen is wrong on EVERY level, put a stop to it now!
I’m an insulator and my work is in the refineries. We were promised more work for all of us trades and if they build elsewhere than our province it will be a slap in every trades persons’ face. We need to keep our minerals here where we mine it. It belongs to the Albertans so why can’t we keep the royalties?? We are supposed to be the richest province in Canada but if the upgraders go across the border we will become the poorest province. We share the work and welcome trades people from across Canada as well as the states. Many more young people are getting into the trades now … where will their future be if the upgraders are built elsewhere?? Albertans will be cheated out on the promise made to us about the creation of jobs…unemployment will rise…and most of all Alberta will die out because people will move out. It is ours let’s keep it here. Do Albertans want to pay more for everything especially for things we mine here and have to buy it back at a higher cost from the other countries? Build our modes here .. build our upgraders here .. Keep Alberta’s trades here. We know that we are known to have the best trades people in the world here so let’s not kill the trades that have made a name for Alberta and that everyone is so proud of. We know the States are trying to overtake all of the oil in the world and cripple the rest of us. We need to keep our refining where we mine it. Keep the jobs here in our own province and not to be sold out.
My father moved our family to Alberta from B.C. when I and my siblings were infants and eventually found his way to the oil and gas industry. I have the oilfields of Alberta to thank for food and shelter as I was growing and the proudest day of my life was when I received B-pressure certification as a welder.
I now proudly work for the local 488 pipefitters union supplying product specifically for companies in the oilsands. Let there be no doubt that we, the tradespeople of Alberta, are the most highly skilled at what we do, which is simply a testament to the quality of apprenticeship training but more so the on-the-job training and mentoring from those that have gone before us in these fields.
To allow our means to survive to be piped south unrefined or contracted out to cheaper, poor quality labour forces in Asia that have abysmal safety records is an insult. An insult to us and our parents and their parents that devoted their lives, as well as gave their lives, so that we now have a birthright to ALL the work generated from the oilsands.
I would call on our provincial leaders to show us that we have their support. Show us they hear our indignation and will not bow to any foreign pressure to drain our black life’s blood out of country with a large diameter steel straw.
I was born and raised in Alberta, lived in the area that the first natural gas well was drilled in the Viking gas fields, spent a career of 25 years in the petro chemical fertilizer industry, worked in Alberta oilfields and experienced heavy petrochemical industry in Sarnia, Ontario. Throughout these times a person can only appreciate what this type of industry can offer now and in the future. Sarnia was built around the needs for western crude and natural gas providing feed stocks for many multi million dollar plants and their subsequent products over the years. Where is our “intestinal fortitude” when we have the feed stocks but shirk at the opportunity to be the Sarnia of the West!!!!
The exporting of raw materials and the importing of pre built structures such as the 200 mods that are being built in Korea and shipped here is absolutely insulting to the educated and talented people that have built this industry in Alberta. We all need to voice our opinion, and keep Alberta jobs!!!
As a working Albertan I fully support the addition of these upgraders. This project will be a great benefit to not only the people of Alberta, but also for people from all over the country.
Let’s all do what we can to ensure that Canadian jobs stay in Canada!
Why are we not pushing for full refineries? You speak of more jobs and technology. We can be shipping finished product bringing only the best opportunies for our children. I know none are currently on the books but if the economic environment is right then we can get the entire process.
As a Journeyman electrician, I have had the golden opportunity to achieve a good standard of living while working on Alberta’s newest upgraders. Originally from BC, I moved my family to the province as I could see a bright future for all of us. We purchased a home, and contributed to the community we moved to both financially and voluntarily. Many of my co-workers are part of a large group that have moved here because of the work the upgraders have provided, now making this our home. Thriving communities are based on the support of the hard work that each family does and the sharing of their finacial resource.
Allowing the crud, that truly belongs to the people of Alberta to be extracted and shipped in raw form to refineries south of the border is clearly not in the best interest of Alberta. Long term employment for the people that live here must take precedents over short term political gain.
Alberta needs to hold firm on its stance that the natural resources that are found here are refined here, not only for the benefit of Alberta, but for all Canadians.
As a worker who works on upgraders; my heart is wounded that our Premier allows modules to be built in South Korea and Montana,U.S.A., it further hurts when he lets oil go raw to U.S.A. without being upgraded here so as to create employment in U.S.A. and not here. Does he want to be remembered as the “Premier who built the rust-belt in Alberta”?
We definitely have to keep as much of our raw bitumen that we get from the Oil Sands, as is economically feasible, and upgrade it into feedstocks for Oil Refineries and especially Petrochemical Manufacturing Plants.
I have worked for 37 years as a Plant Operator in both an Oil Refinery and Petrochemical Plant. During that time I have noticed a big improvement in Environmental Impact awareness and concern for Sustainable Development. Carbon Capture, Closed Circuit water treatment, Energy Conservation, to name a few Environmental Protection strategies, are all viable if the corporations are willing to incorporate them into their new plants.
There will be an initial cost of course; but in the end we will all benefit!
If the plants that leave the smallest footprint on the Environment are rewarded and the “Bad” actors are punished in a meaningful way we can avoid future ecological impacts on the areas surrounding the Industrial complexes!
From my experience the Plants are becoming more transparent in reporting Operational upsets to both Alberta Environment and the surrounding neighbors. The public pressure has brought this about and to me it is very positive.
Top Management in the Oil Corporations can learn from past “Environmental Disasters” such as Bhopal, India, the Exxon Valdez, the recent Gulf of Mexico oil leak, and to a much lesser degree, the “duck massacre” in the Ft McMurray tailings pond.
When they build these plants they could incorporate more “failsafe” systems into the operation and do more “preventative maintenance” rather than worrying about putting another penny on their quarterly share dividends!
We could benefit both Economically and Environmentally with the construction of the proposed Upgraders if they would spend a little extra today, save future modification and maintenance costs, and as a result put two pennies on that dividend tomorrow!
Kudos to “Northwest Utilities” if they follow through with their proposed plans!
I have been saying this for years, why do we give it all away, let’s do it ourselves, we already build the mines and upgraders, we maintain, repair, commission and run them and it’s our land and water, let’s make some albertacores, or canadacrudes, instead of selling ourselves short and getting a small royalty. Let’s get paid per barrel.
As a person who is going to be graduating Chemical Engineering in a couple years, I really hope that they start building upgraders and refineries here to keep the jobs in Alberta. I heard that for the 2009 ChemE graduating class at U of A only 24 out the 150 or so were hired upon graduating, I suppose this was due in part to the recession but still, keep the jobs in Alberta.
As a Newfoundlander working in Alberta, we too, see and feel the repercussions of having our resources in the early stages being sent across the border for processing. More of a focus and support should be given to processing these resources in the province they originate in.
I have been industrial piping designer for over 35 years with the majority of my working career being involved in the oil and gas refining business. In this time I have steadfastly supported the concept of if we mine it we refine it HERE…. Why do we continually give “our” work and money to foreign companies while we struggle to keep our own citizens employed and the future of our children may be at risk?
I cannot believe that this government would allow this concept, that we sell the raw bitumen product to companies that have no intention to upgrade the oil here. This is the same concept as mining for gold ore only and allowing the company to refine the gold in a foreign state and keep the gold for themselves. We must stop this practice….NOW.
I agree wholeheartedly that Albertans need to step up and build a world-class refinery in their back-yard. It seems there is overwhelming support across all levels of government and with the recent XL pipeline rejection, an opportune time for politicians in Canada to step up and create jobs. What is being done at present to bring this to public attention? It seems that rallies would garner support; are they being organized? Consider including a call to action on your website and a forum to discuss ways for Albertans to get together and make this dream a reality. I think it’s time for your movement to kick it into high gear!
It is sad to say that the interests of the people of Alberta and Canada as a whole are not the interests of our governments. I have been proud to call myself an Albertan for nearly 20 years now, having moved west for a brighter future. After reading all the comments left on this site I find that my thoughts are as much in tune with most of the storyies on here. Industry and the bottom line are what drives our economy and our future; unfortunately it also directs our governments into selling off our country’s resources at the expense of our own future. I love Canada and Alberta but I question the captains in charge of the ship. Keep our peoples’ and country’s interests in mind and use our resources to its full potential not some diluted attempt at telling us that the deal industry asked for is in our best interests – we all know better.
Well the Keystone pipeline has been denied by the U.S. Government. This is good news, except now I worry that our government is going to try and sell our oil elsewhere. It’s time the people of this country would realize that we know what’s best for our country. I am only nineteen years old but I care about where my taxes go. I would be willing to have some of my tax money go into developing refineries. People see it as a burden to pay extra tax now but the benefits would be huge. The price of anything oil based would come down because we wouldn’t be buying the finished product from the States. Imagine the creation of jobs to build and run a refinery. The way I see it is that the government is making their money off selling our resources and we the consumer get to pay the extra freight in buying finished products. Yes selling raw does make a “profit” in the government’s books but it shrinks my wallet and sells away my future. For that reason alone I’m PI***D off and have had enough. Lets make a change!
Upgraders are being planned in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland near Edmonton for a long time. Upgrading in Alberta creates the potential for more chemical plants, production plants in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland. This means more value added production, more jobs and more income for the Government. I agree with Premier Stelmach. Shipping bitumen out of Canada is like a farmer selling his top soil.
First and foremost, let’s keep the refining in Alberta or at the very least keep it in Canada! What is this government thinking, piping this hot commodity outside the country? Sometimes I feel like the PC’s are folding pocket aces.
There are going to be voters replacing the government if their decisions do not change; sending our jobs to the US will cause unrest, unemployment and revolt.
Building up-graders in Alberta to produce a value added product is a great idea as long as the plants are manufactured here in our province. The actual savings of manufacturing our plants overseas is greatly overshadowed and covered up by subsequent cost overruns in deficient materials and general quality. It’s very easy for procurement managers, with incentive bonuses, to show great savings at the beginning of a project. However, the true cost overruns don’t show up until the completion of a project and the accounting is always so convoluted that it is never directly attributed to shipping fabricated steel across the ocean. Let’s stop the greedy front end procurement and look at the bottom line. Let’s keep manufacturing in Alberta! We have the capacity as long as planning is not short sighted!
Congratulations to Canada, Alberta Government Premier Ed Stelmach’s team, NWU team and Alberta Industrial Heartland Association on the positive news of the signing of the BRIK agreement and also on the news of setting up a world-class environmental monitoring system for Alberta’s oil sands.
Along with other initiatives these are a few more steps forward to move to a better economy and living standards for all.
I was researching the Alberta bitumen to gain an understanding of the challenges involved in its refinement. I recently saw a segment outlining the projected potential. Even though I’m American, it would be prudent to Alberta’s long-term future to “refine it where you mine it”. There are several countries in need of the resource and many of them do not have the appropriate or responsible refining capabilities. Perhaps there is a balance that is struck in order to raise the capital and pursue creative “green” refining solutions. You may as well invest in being the best, most efficient, and cleanest at refining. You may as well be the example that the rest of the world has failed to be… My prayers and support are with you.
I believe what we truly need in this province is some balance. What I have seen is our government allowing these major U.S. companies have whatever it takes to make revenues happen. Why not slow down the development at a staggered pace, the tar sand is not going anywhere. If we are in control we can contol our destiny. Let’s upgrade 75% here, instead of 33% which will probably happen. If we let 33% happen let’s ship a tailings pipeline right beside the bitumen line. I am sure the oil giants would think twice about our dirty oil….
Do we live in a democracy? Or is it a capitalist country controlled by the largest corporations of the world? The public is not heard, Refine it where we mine it!!!
I have been a boilermaker from local 146 for 25 years and I cannot believe how our Canadian Government has no courage when it comes to standing up for what is ours. The US government imposed a soft wood lumber tariff years ago that really hurt the BC economy especially. If I was in government I would have imposed a tariff on the natural gas that same day. It is about time we stand up to the biggest bullies of the world and protect what is ours and keep the jobs in Canada. The government are wimps. Quit being such push overs and stand up for all Canadians.
Alberta needs to develop a system of disincentives for the exporting of jobs along with bitumen to the US. We need the jobs here in Alberta. The government should impose an export tax for every barrel of bitumen and oil exported out of Alberta, regardless of the destination. This can be off-set with tax credits for each level of refining and manufacturing which occurs within the borders of Alberta to repay investment in Alberta jobs locally.
I am a 488 B-pressure welder and have worked and lived in Alberta my whole life and it looks like there is no future for us here thanks to free trade and the global economy. We have a lot of resources here but with the new global economy it’s far cheaper to build everything offshore in pieces and ship it here and then hire massive amounts of foreign workers to put it together who then take their money out of the country when they are done here. Albertans are being left jobless with large mortgages to try to pay off and families to raise. How can first world countries compete globally with 2nd and 3rd world countries who have super low wages for high skilled jobs and billions of citizens competing for those low paying jobs which helps keep them low? They do not have to comply with safety laws, employment standards, environmental laws, and so on. If this is going to be an ongoing trend then we might as well never buy a house in this country because we will never be employed enough to pay for it unless the cost of living in this country greatly decreases. Please someone put an end to this! Any politician who runs a platform based on ending these practices in Alberta would be seen as a hero to the working class here and would get the votes of all the union brothers and then some.
As having been an industrial purchasing manager, buying for steel fabricators, and the pulp and paper industry, I’ve been saddened to witness the job losses over the years caused exclusively by the treasonable actions of our political elites. Treason no longer seems to be an offence, punishable in a court of law.
International agreements like NAFTA and cutbacks of protective import duties have devastated Canada’s manufacturing industry. Rubber stamp approvals of foreign ownership takeovers, with no benefit to Canadians, continue to be welcomed by political parties who seem to receive benefits from the foreign benefactors. The foreign owners have no allegiance to Canada, their sole intent is to maximize income for their shareholders. If this means shutting down operations in Canada, exporting underprocessed resources to other lands, so be it. Canada is not a self sufficient petro-chemical producer. Our freely allowed export of underprocessed logs, pulp, ores, natural gas, oil and bitumen certainly fails to address Canada’s best interests. Pressures by multi-national corporations and their influence on Canada’s media seem to overwhelm the desires of our elected to act for the benefit of Canadians. Their goal is to be re-elected, not cause unpleasantness for multi-nationals. Jobs, jobs and jobs was the propaganda we’ve been offerered–and voters took it hook, line, and sinker! Exporting underprocessed resources is most certainly creating long term jobs for non-Canadians.
A worthy choice of political leadership, federal and provincial, who openly and vociferously advocate withdrawal from international agreements which impede Canada’s sovereign right to act for the benefit of Canadians, should be the goal we seek. Exporting underprocessed/unrefined natural gas, oil, bitumen, ores, and other resources need to be drastically curbed. Upgraders and refineries with pipelines in Canada to deliver product first to Canadian consumers and chemical plants will provide jobs for Canadians. Let’s market finished product to the world instead of raw resources.
I have watched with interest the attempts by the US to pull out of the economic recession. As our major trading partner their economic health is critical to our continued success. As they have slowly began recovering it is obvious that this recovery is significantly different from their recovery from past recessions/depressions. Ordinarily job creation rebounds sharply once they begin to pull out of the recession but this time it isn’t happening. Why the change? The US has shipped a huge number of their jobs off shore where goods could be manufactured much cheaper than they could domestically. As US manufacturers built factories in China, Southeast Asia, Mexico, the Phillipines etc.they contributed significantly to the economies of those countries while the US economy struggled to cope with falling employment. They now find themselves wondering how to pull out of a recession when they have no manufacturing jobs, high unemployment and a domestic workforce that has no money to buy their products or even pay for their own homes. We in Alberta are in serious danger of making the same mistake as our neighbour to the south. We have already dessimated what had the potential to be the most efficient petrochemical manufacturing center in Canada through shortsighted actions on the part of our politicians and we appear on the verge of making the same mistake with our oilsands resources. As the US is discovering, an economic recovery without sustaining high paying jobs is a shell of a recovery doomed to failure. We need to upgrade and refine our oil resources here!
One reason why the foreign national companies have so much of the oil resources of Alberta go back to the days of the first oil field development plays in Alberta. Bay Street was approached to finance the exploration in Alberta, but they replied “We (Ontario) already have oil here; (Oil Springs) why would we want to invest any money in Alberta?” Well, hind sight is 20/20 and the answer to that question would be “To retain Canadian ownership of the oil”. Wall Street was quick to act and was quick to set up Canadian divisions of their companies to develop the oil resources of Western Canada. Canada missed an opportunity to create one of the largest oil companies in the world that day and the attempt to nationalize the oil with Petro Canada later turned out to be another government fiasco. More upgraders would be beneficial but what would the increased supply do to the economy? There were rumors of moving the Gulf Coast refineries inland to avoid the hurricanes. Maybe having more refining/upgraders here in Alberta could make that a reality.
Do not ship the oil south! We as Canadians, are always getting bent over by our southern neighbors when it comes to the energy game.
A child could figure out that if you were thirsty and have milk but give it away so you can buy it back as ice cream makes no sense at all…so why would grown adults that run our country and our resources want to sell something for cheap to buy a refined product back for more….I just don’t get it!
I remember back in the early 90’s and Don Getty gave the okay for Alberta Pacific Forest Industries Inc. to build a pulp mill. At that time the approval was given provided Al-Pac build a paper machine within 3 years. Well here it is 20 years later and we are still sending our pulp to Japan and buying our paper from them. If the oil companies want to send our bitumen to the States or China to be upgraded, we should be taxing them and maybe they would change their minds. I work in the industry and it makes me sick to see what is going on. Exxon is building their modules in South Korea for their Kearl Lake Project and our construction workers sit at home without work. Take a drive by any mod yard in Edmonton and they are all idle. There is something very wrong with this picture!!!
“CANADA – IN A WONDERFUL WORLD”
Alberta – Canada’s ‘Energy Province.’
Though Canada is the second largest land mass in the world, it is one of the least populated countries. In Canada, along with two official languages, English and French, there are also over 100 other non-official languages that are spoken. There are more than 200 ethnic origins represented in Canada. Canada’s multi-cultural diversity places emphasis on equality and inclusiveness for all people.
Alberta has proven oil reserves of 171.3 billion barrels, including approximately 170 billion barrels of oil sands bitumen. Alberta’s responsible and environmentally friendly effort of oil sands growth offers tremendous economic opportunity for the province and the country. Along with other oil sand initiatives of Alberta, as a Canadian and Albertan I also support `Refine it where we Mine It`, Energy being Canada’s strategic advantage, encouraging the development of the energy sector and its entire value chain will leverage its vast resource base, providing even greater benefits for all Canadians and Albertans – more jobs, better living standards, better education, better health care, better social programs, more investments, more business. Eventually in a complete circle, a better Canada, better Alberta, benefits the world, as Canadians and Albertans have a history of being peaceful, giving and sharing. “We are among the best in the World, People, Resources, so let`s get it moving more and make a healthy and prosperous future for generations to come.”
Nineteenth and early twentieth century colonisations had one theme in common: the coloniser would import (plunder) the natural resources from the colonies in the crudest form possible, process it and export the final product to the colonies and other countries. Being the political master of the colonies, they could enforce rock bottom royalties, if any. Thus the natural resource provided little economic benefit to the colonies. Demise of political colonization by the middle of the twentieth century gave way to economic colonization. Huge oil and mining companies influenced governments through legal and illegal means to allow export of natural resources with least possible benefit to the host countries. This is very much overt in Africa but much more covert in other places around the world. Economic colonization and political colonization have many parallels such as exploitation of natural resources at fastest possible pace with little benefit to the host country. But there is a key difference, unlike political colonization; the economic colonization does not benefit any one country. Its sole purpose is the maximum profit to the corporations, even when it comes at the expense of people who inhabit the areas that the company is mining. Clearly in some ways economic colonization is less discriminatory than political colonization as the former is driven mainly by profit and cost considerations rather than political boundaries but it could be as devastating to the host countries as the political colonization. More recently oil and mining companies emerging from China (to a lesser extent from Russia) are distorting the boundaries between the two flavours of colonization that I discussed above. As the companies are state controlled, the decisions are not solely profit driven. It is very crucial that Albertans appreciate and understand these macro phenomena in order to make informed decisions on our own natural resources. The resource that we have is so immense and valuable that we and the next generation will have plenty even if we decide to export it in the crudest form possible. But we want to have sustainable economy for generations to come and have industrial base to support it, we must stop exporting raw minerals today. We have the capital, technical know-how and human resource to build a diverse economy. All we need is the will, no, I am not talking about political will but will of the people, will of the Albertans.
Please do not ship our jobs away!!!!! As a redseal journeyman carpenter I’ve seen my wage go down 15% overnight and now the prospect of having no job in the near future is looming.
As a working Albertan I totally support the addition of these upgraders. This project will be a great benefit to the economy of all Alberta, as well as all those workers from all over the country that come here to work, all year long!
While I can see the value in mining bitumen and shipping a small amount of it out of the province to plants which already exist…I have a hard time supporting massive shipping of bitumen out of the province to new upgraders and refineries south of the 49th.
I also have a hard time supporting the pipeline to Kitimat if it will result in new upgraders and refineries being built in Asia.
The consequences are staggering when we look at the long term impact to the economy of western Canada.
Once again we need to sit back and identify what is best for ourselves and future generations of Canadians, in a manner which promotes value added product before it leaves our boundaries.
Was it not Stelmach’s main election platform that if he were elected he would make sure Alberta oil was mined here and refined here and not shipped out raw? I voted for him but now feel very let down. I worked on the Enbridge Alberta clipper line as well as the Trans Canada pipeline from Hardisty to the US. We all felt like we were working on a job that would eventually be putting us out of work. They couldn’t get these pipelines built fast enough to get the raw bitumen to refineries in Texas, Oklahoma and Illinois and they are looking at building at least 2 more. All these pipelines do is eliminate Alberta and Canadian jobs. Why are we giving away our resourses, the next step will be all our water!!
Fellow Albertans:
With the demand for Alberta’s oilsands ever increasing as witnessed by foriegn investment pouring into the province it has become obvious that this province has been blessed with something very unique. An abundance of potential wealth barely seen anywere else on the globe. So what do we do with this potential abundance of wealth? First let me say that no one is immune to the repercussions of what actions are being taken by our government and big oil. You may find yourself saying “I don’t work in the oil industry so it doesn’t affect me”. This statement is far from the truth, we all have aquaintances of some sort that are directly or indirectly affected by the oil industry. And if not for your own well-being think of a son or daughter, niece or nephew, grandson or granddaughter who may choose to enter into a career in the oil industry.
Who do upgraders employ? Civil engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, chemical engineers, fabrication companies environmentalists, health and safety people, construction trades people. Secondary industries would include: insurance, hotel/motels, restaurants, clothing stores, gas stations — I could go on and on, but you have probably come to the conclusion that I would need to rewrite the yellow pages phone book.
What about the government’s loss of revenue? The loss of government revenue directly related to the loss of tens of thousands of jobs (federal and provincial income tax), tax from some business that services the upgraders. Here again, I could go on and on but I feel comfortable in sayingthat these tax losses over generations would certainly be in the billions of dollars.
In closing, I would like to reiterate to the people of Alberta of what each and everyone of us has witnessed in the last two years of global government and corporate perversion. Maybe, just maybe, this perversion has hit home. Take a moment if you will and think about that.
I am a Journeyman Plumber, and I have started an apprenticeship as a Pipefitter working in Aberta. Most of my work is in refineries/upgraders. I feel exporting our bitumen to other countries is one of the worst ideas for Alberta’s and Canada’s economy. With no upgraders there will be thousands of Albertans out of work and countless other Canadians, and the import of mods from other countries is just an insult to the Albertan trades men and women. There are mod yards all over Alberta, sitting idle while we give our work, our money and our future to the lowest bidder.
I have worked in the oil industry for 11 years now. I see no reason why our current governtment is allowing the shipment of raw bitumen down any pipeline to the states. Why would we mine, send it to them and buy it back at a higher cost. Makes no sense.
Other than upgraders for here I see no reason why there should be a couple of refineries built here also. We have it, we own it, we should refine and sell it. The resource is ours and we should be the ones profiting from it.
Few people are aware of the pipeline that is being built from Bruderheim (Edmonton) through some of the most environmentally sensitive land, to Kitimat BC where the terminal will accept Chinese tankers to load bitumen for refining in China. Why all this effort and risk when the answer lies here in Alberta? China will definitely not adhere to any environmentally sound practices and eventually (probably sooner than later) a Chinese tanker will run aground in the dangerous inland waterway to Kitimat (I served in the navy and travelled this channel many times and there is NO WAY! a tanker should be transitting that channel! Google Kitimat if your interested) The export of raw bitumen is wrong on EVERY level, put a stop to it now!
I’m an insulator and my work is in the refineries. We were promised more work for all of us trades and if they build elsewhere than our province it will be a slap in every trades persons’ face. We need to keep our minerals here where we mine it. It belongs to the Albertans so why can’t we keep the royalties?? We are supposed to be the richest province in Canada but if the upgraders go across the border we will become the poorest province. We share the work and welcome trades people from across Canada as well as the states. Many more young people are getting into the trades now … where will their future be if the upgraders are built elsewhere?? Albertans will be cheated out on the promise made to us about the creation of jobs…unemployment will rise…and most of all Alberta will die out because people will move out. It is ours let’s keep it here. Do Albertans want to pay more for everything especially for things we mine here and have to buy it back at a higher cost from the other countries? Build our modes here .. build our upgraders here .. Keep Alberta’s trades here. We know that we are known to have the best trades people in the world here so let’s not kill the trades that have made a name for Alberta and that everyone is so proud of. We know the States are trying to overtake all of the oil in the world and cripple the rest of us. We need to keep our refining where we mine it. Keep the jobs here in our own province and not to be sold out.
My father moved our family to Alberta from B.C. when I and my siblings were infants and eventually found his way to the oil and gas industry. I have the oilfields of Alberta to thank for food and shelter as I was growing and the proudest day of my life was when I received B-pressure certification as a welder.
I now proudly work for the local 488 pipefitters union supplying product specifically for companies in the oilsands. Let there be no doubt that we, the tradespeople of Alberta, are the most highly skilled at what we do, which is simply a testament to the quality of apprenticeship training but more so the on-the-job training and mentoring from those that have gone before us in these fields.
To allow our means to survive to be piped south unrefined or contracted out to cheaper, poor quality labour forces in Asia that have abysmal safety records is an insult. An insult to us and our parents and their parents that devoted their lives, as well as gave their lives, so that we now have a birthright to ALL the work generated from the oilsands.
I would call on our provincial leaders to show us that we have their support. Show us they hear our indignation and will not bow to any foreign pressure to drain our black life’s blood out of country with a large diameter steel straw.
I was born and raised in Alberta, lived in the area that the first natural gas well was drilled in the Viking gas fields, spent a career of 25 years in the petro chemical fertilizer industry, worked in Alberta oilfields and experienced heavy petrochemical industry in Sarnia, Ontario. Throughout these times a person can only appreciate what this type of industry can offer now and in the future. Sarnia was built around the needs for western crude and natural gas providing feed stocks for many multi million dollar plants and their subsequent products over the years. Where is our “intestinal fortitude” when we have the feed stocks but shirk at the opportunity to be the Sarnia of the West!!!!
The exporting of raw materials and the importing of pre built structures such as the 200 mods that are being built in Korea and shipped here is absolutely insulting to the educated and talented people that have built this industry in Alberta. We all need to voice our opinion, and keep Alberta jobs!!!
As a working Albertan I fully support the addition of these upgraders. This project will be a great benefit to not only the people of Alberta, but also for people from all over the country.
Let’s all do what we can to ensure that Canadian jobs stay in Canada!
Why are we not pushing for full refineries? You speak of more jobs and technology. We can be shipping finished product bringing only the best opportunies for our children. I know none are currently on the books but if the economic environment is right then we can get the entire process.
As a Journeyman electrician, I have had the golden opportunity to achieve a good standard of living while working on Alberta’s newest upgraders. Originally from BC, I moved my family to the province as I could see a bright future for all of us. We purchased a home, and contributed to the community we moved to both financially and voluntarily. Many of my co-workers are part of a large group that have moved here because of the work the upgraders have provided, now making this our home. Thriving communities are based on the support of the hard work that each family does and the sharing of their finacial resource.
Allowing the crud, that truly belongs to the people of Alberta to be extracted and shipped in raw form to refineries south of the border is clearly not in the best interest of Alberta. Long term employment for the people that live here must take precedents over short term political gain.
Alberta needs to hold firm on its stance that the natural resources that are found here are refined here, not only for the benefit of Alberta, but for all Canadians.
As a worker who works on upgraders; my heart is wounded that our Premier allows modules to be built in South Korea and Montana,U.S.A., it further hurts when he lets oil go raw to U.S.A. without being upgraded here so as to create employment in U.S.A. and not here. Does he want to be remembered as the “Premier who built the rust-belt in Alberta”?
We definitely have to keep as much of our raw bitumen that we get from the Oil Sands, as is economically feasible, and upgrade it into feedstocks for Oil Refineries and especially Petrochemical Manufacturing Plants.
I have worked for 37 years as a Plant Operator in both an Oil Refinery and Petrochemical Plant. During that time I have noticed a big improvement in Environmental Impact awareness and concern for Sustainable Development. Carbon Capture, Closed Circuit water treatment, Energy Conservation, to name a few Environmental Protection strategies, are all viable if the corporations are willing to incorporate them into their new plants.
There will be an initial cost of course; but in the end we will all benefit!
If the plants that leave the smallest footprint on the Environment are rewarded and the “Bad” actors are punished in a meaningful way we can avoid future ecological impacts on the areas surrounding the Industrial complexes!
From my experience the Plants are becoming more transparent in reporting Operational upsets to both Alberta Environment and the surrounding neighbors. The public pressure has brought this about and to me it is very positive.
Top Management in the Oil Corporations can learn from past “Environmental Disasters” such as Bhopal, India, the Exxon Valdez, the recent Gulf of Mexico oil leak, and to a much lesser degree, the “duck massacre” in the Ft McMurray tailings pond.
When they build these plants they could incorporate more “failsafe” systems into the operation and do more “preventative maintenance” rather than worrying about putting another penny on their quarterly share dividends!
We could benefit both Economically and Environmentally with the construction of the proposed Upgraders if they would spend a little extra today, save future modification and maintenance costs, and as a result put two pennies on that dividend tomorrow!
Kudos to “Northwest Utilities” if they follow through with their proposed plans!
I have been saying this for years, why do we give it all away, let’s do it ourselves, we already build the mines and upgraders, we maintain, repair, commission and run them and it’s our land and water, let’s make some albertacores, or canadacrudes, instead of selling ourselves short and getting a small royalty. Let’s get paid per barrel.
As a person who is going to be graduating Chemical Engineering in a couple years, I really hope that they start building upgraders and refineries here to keep the jobs in Alberta. I heard that for the 2009 ChemE graduating class at U of A only 24 out the 150 or so were hired upon graduating, I suppose this was due in part to the recession but still, keep the jobs in Alberta.
As a Newfoundlander working in Alberta, we too, see and feel the repercussions of having our resources in the early stages being sent across the border for processing. More of a focus and support should be given to processing these resources in the province they originate in.
I have been industrial piping designer for over 35 years with the majority of my working career being involved in the oil and gas refining business. In this time I have steadfastly supported the concept of if we mine it we refine it HERE…. Why do we continually give “our” work and money to foreign companies while we struggle to keep our own citizens employed and the future of our children may be at risk?
I cannot believe that this government would allow this concept, that we sell the raw bitumen product to companies that have no intention to upgrade the oil here. This is the same concept as mining for gold ore only and allowing the company to refine the gold in a foreign state and keep the gold for themselves. We must stop this practice….NOW.
It is incomprehensible to me that we would export raw materials, and so, export the jobs as well. Please continue your great work.