Meet one of our prime contractors – Aecon
Tell us about your company and the experience you have working on major projects like Coastal GasLink?
As a Canadian leader in construction and infrastructure development with global expertise, Aecon strives to be the number one Canadian infrastructure company. For decades, we have safely delivered facilities projects for our Clients in British Columbia. The Coastal GasLink facilities are an integral part of the project, ensuring the safe supply of natural gas along the pipeline. This contract award underscores Aecon’s reputation as a preferred contractor with key clients and demonstrates our recognized expertise delivering a diverse range of critical infrastructure projects through Aecon’s Industrial operating sector. As part of the SA Energy Group partnership, Aecon is also currently working on Sections 3 and 4 of the Coastal GasLink project.
What excites you about being involved in the Coastal GasLink Project?
The Wilde Lake compressor and metering facility is the largest of its kind, with enough power to feed natural gas safely and efficiently to the metering facility in Kitimat, B.C. What excites me most is working with a client whose values so closely align with our own. We have a relationship that has been built on trust and candour, and that has allowed our construction teams to continue to work through market challenges, finding innovative ways to stay competitive and productive. This is truly an extraordinary project, and we are thrilled to have been awarded both facilities.
Work is underway on Section 4 near Vanderhoof, B.C.
How important is safety and the environment to your company?
At Aecon, safety is at the core of our culture; it's not just a program. Safety First is our number one core value – we ensure a safe, healthy work environment and are committed to a zero injury culture. Our proactive Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) program is based on established behavioural safety techniques. We believe that all incidents are preventable. Aecon makes a daily commitment to our workers: that they will go home safely at the end of each day. The same holds true for those in the neighbouring communities whose environments cannot be adversely affected by our construction practices. The enhanced safety and environmental standards implemented by Coastal Gaslink align perfectly with our execution plans at both facilities.
You will be building two facilities for Coastal GasLink. What are some interesting insights about this work?
The teams that we have working on both projects each have completed numerous facilities projects with Coastal GasLink’s leadership. As well, the construction schedules at both sites align well to allow for the continued engagement of the teams coming from Kitimat to Wilde Lake. Aecon has been fortunate to benefit greatly from lessons learned on previous projects, both from successes and from the challenges that were overcome. Of course, each site is unique in scope, geography, and the opportunities for engagement within the local communities are never quite the same. I can think of no better opportunity for us to continue applying our learnings across both projects, maintaining the commitments set by Coastal GasLink, and exploring new innovations together.
What’s your process in ensuring local and First Nations businesses are connected to jobs on the project?
Aecon recognizes that participation by Indigenous communities is important for the successful execution and commercial success of the Coastal GasLink project. Aecon fosters strong, mutually beneficial relationships with many Indigenous communities across Canada and we look forward to applying the same collaborative and inclusive approach on this project. Our Indigenous engagement strategy is based on a foundation of trust and serves to compliment Coastal GasLink’s community and project agreements. We are working together with Indigenous economic development leads and local communities to source qualified candidates and to determine any training requirements for meaningful employment. Subcontracting with qualified local and Indigenous businesses maximizes the economic benefit to the region. At Aecon, we are dedicated to our role in creating a sustainable economic legacy for the individuals, communities, and future generations in the regions near the Kitimat and Wilde Lake Facilities.
Our prime contractors are largely responsible for hiring and managing the various subcontractors and employees who will be required to construct the project. Coastal GasLink has made a clear commitment that our contractors will prioritize local and indigenous people and businesses. Learn more about our prime contractors, and contracting and employment opportunities.
