June 15, 2017
Mr. John Horgan
Leader of the Official Opposition
Room 201, Parliament Buildings
Victoria, BC
V8V 1X4
Mr. Andrew Weaver
Leader of the BC Green Party
Room 027C, Parliament Buildings
Victoria, BC
V8V 1X4
Sent via email: andrew.weaver.mla@leg.bc.ca, oppositionleader@leg.bc.ca
Dear Mr. Horgan and Mr. Weaver,
There are 2,252 good reasons why you should allow the Site C dam project to proceed as planned. That’s 2,252 men and women, the vast majority of whom are BC tradespeople who earn their living, support their families and communities by working at Site C.
PCA represents progressive unionized employers in Canada’s construction industry, employing more than 25,000 skilled construction workers. Our member companies are responsible for 40 percent of energy and natural resource construction projects in BC and Alberta, and advocate for getting key infrastructure projects built, through our Let’s Build It campaign. PCA is proud to represent key contractors working on Site C. And we’re concerned about the threat of putting more than 2,000 people out of work when your election promise was to create jobs.
Mr. Weaver, back in 2009 you were a strong supporter of Site C, a project that’s been through a rigorous approvals process, offers a secure, viable alternative to fossil fuels, and provides BC with a reliable, affordable source of electricity for the next century. Your inexplicable change of heart is costly to each and every taxpayer in BC. Considering even a project delay at an annualized cost of more than $630 million is hardly sound fiscal policy. Unpredictable leadership that puts a question mark beside so many important infrastructure projects is not the way to build investor confidence.
Please consider this a formal request to put politics aside and the people of BC first by supporting the Site C dam project and recognizing the benefits it provides to workers and families throughout our province. PCA would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you to discuss this important project at your earliest opportunity.
Sincerely,
Rieghardt van Enter
Regional Director, British Columbia
Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA)
cc: Premier Christy Clark premier@gov.bc.ca
Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training, Shirley Bond JTST.Minister@gov.bc.ca
Minister of Energy and Mines, Rich Coleman MEM.Minister@gov.bc.ca