ARTICLE

Date ArticleType
6/17/2014 Media Releases
Northern Gateway Decision

The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce joins the BC Chamber of Commerce and applauds the federal government’s approval of the Northern Gateway project. “Kelowna stands to gain economically from the development of pipelines in western Canada. Our suppliers, professional services, airport and construction companies will see direct growth due to this decision.” states Curtis Darmohray, President of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce. The federal government’s decision sends a positive message to potential B.C. investors. “Congratulations to both Enbridge and the federal government for their efforts to meet B.C.’s five conditions for pipelines. He urged the B.C. government to lose no time in clarifying its five conditions and the path that would get projects such as Northern Gateway to ‘yes’. “We appreciate the significant efforts that Enbridge has made towards meeting the first condition of a successful environmental review process, as well as the federal government’s efforts to work with industry to meet the conditions around world-class marine and land spill response,” he said. “We urge continued momentum on the remaining conditions and we call on the Province to provide further clarity as to what success of the five conditions looks like, as we work collectively towards making this project a reality.” “The Northern Gateway project is a major economic win for B.C. and for Canada,” said John Winter, president and CEO of the BC Chamber of Commerce. “We applaud the federal government for making the right decision for our province and our country today.” The project will create jobs, boost GDP and generate tax revenue for B.C., while enabling Canadian oil producers critical access to Asian markets. “Oil is a major source of Canada’s resource wealth, but with virtually no pipeline capacity to the West Coast, Canada’s producers are stuck selling oil at depressed prices to the U.S. – sometimes $30 a barrel below world prices,” Winter said. “And that’s not just an Albertan problem – it’s a B.C. problem,” he added. “As the federal government loses billions of dollars in lost taxes, we’re forfeiting B.C.’s share of that wealth through reduced federal funding programs.” “B.C.’s future growth will depend heavily on private-sector investment,” Winter said. “With fierce competition from other jurisdictions, we need to be aggressively welcoming of top-tier projects if we’re going to land the investment dollars we need.”

About the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce

The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce acts as a single powerful voice for their 1200 members and their 25,000 plus employees to promote local business interests. The Chamber provides a cohesive business network for its members to expand their business contacts, value-added benefits, programs, and services aimed at improving the bottom line of Chamber members. Their mission is to foster a positive business environment by providing members with leadership, advocacy and services of value.

Media Inquiry Contacts: Caroline Grover, CEO Kelowna Chamber of Commerce 250-469-7356 caroline@kelownachamber.org