Just over a year after construction began on the Kitimat Meter Station, Aecon is celebrating the completion of the project. The facility marks the end point of the Coastal GasLink pipeline, where natural gas will be measured, inspected for quality, and delivered to the LNG Canada plant.
“Together with Coastal GasLink, and our Indigenous and local community partners, Aecon proudly celebrates this significant achievement – underscoring our preeminent ability to safely, sustainably and successfully deliver critical projects for key Industrial clients,” said Jean-Louis Servranckx, President and Chief Executive Officer, Aecon Group Inc. “The Kitimat Meter Station is one of the most important anchor points of the Coastal GasLink pipeline project and we look forward to continuing our work to deliver Spreads 3 and 4, as well as the Wilde Lake Compressor Station.”
Safety First is Aecon’s number one core value, and on the Kitimat Meter Station project, the health and safety of the project team, their families, Indigenous and local communities, and the surrounding environment was prioritized every day. The project was completed with zero safety or environmental incidents, or injuries over the course of over 100,000 person-hours.
“We don’t achieve that kind of record without respecting each other, without saying that I care about you, I care about myself, and I care about the community,” said Carol Anne Bransby-Williams, Project Director, Facilities Implementation for Coastal GasLink.
Tracey Ross, Lands Manager for Haisla First Nation – a key rights holder on the project, remarked:
“I’d never pass up an opportunity to celebrate a milestone with Coastal GasLink. We’re proud to celebrate this project milestone with our contractors, workers, and local and Indigenous community members, because it’s a milestone for us all. The benefit to my Nation is critical. It means independence for my people, that’s why I’m so passionate about it.”
As an organization that operates with many diverse Indigenous communities across Canada, the contributions from the Indigenous economy were significant.
“Over 60 per cent of subcontractors on the project were Indigenous-owned or Indigenous-affiliated,” said Servranckx. “The strong execution and commercial success of the Kitimat Meter Station project was achieved through mutually beneficial relationships with our Indigenous partners.”
Coastal GasLink fosters relationships with Indigenous and local community partners across the entire 670-kilometre project route through various on-site and community initiatives. These relationships are integral to the legacy of safety and respect for all people, communities, and the environment.
As an action towards reconciliation, the Kitimat Meter Station project recognized Orange Shirt Day site-wide by delivering a toolbox talk acknowledging the people of Kitamat Village, educating about the history and legacy of the residential school system in Canada, and providing resources for self-learning.
Kitimat Meter Station project employees are pictured on Orange Shirt Day, September 30, 2020.
In addition, community initiatives organized by Aecon and Coastal GasLink resulted in donations to two charities – Tamitik Status of Women and the Kitimat Food Bank. The teams regularly collaborated with the community of Kitimat, participating in volunteer and fundraising activities. Over the course of construction, significant effort was also made to protect the environment, including relocating approximately 40,000 tadpoles locally for safe maturing and assisting with the annual Kitimat River cleanup.
“Everybody did an outstanding job. Not only of protecting their workers but protecting the community,” said Mayor of Kitimat, Philip Germuth. “They put all the procedures in place and it’s truly been outstanding.”
Learn more about the Coastal GasLink project by visiting CoastalGasLink.com and registering for updates today.
Aecon strives to be the number one Canadian infrastructure company and is proud to be recognized as one of the Best Employers in Canada. Aecon safely, profitably and sustainably delivers integrated solutions to private and public-sector clients through its Construction and Concessions segments and is dedicated to fulfilling its commitment to building and fostering inclusive and collaborative relationships with Indigenous communities across Canada. Visit Aecon.com and join our online community on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram @AeconGroup.