The CLRA joins stakeholders across Alberta’s industrial heartland and congratulates Dow for its recently announced investment of nearly CAD 9 billion to build the world’s first net-zero ethylene facility in Fort Saskatchewan.
Our organization and the unionized construction companies we represent are proud to continue our long-standing relationship with Dow, which spans nearly as far back as the 60 years Dow has operated in the Fort Saskatchewan area. Our partnership has been successful because of CLRA’s relationships with unions and employers. We are trusted to negotiate fairly and in good faith. Through this approach, we have helped create a prolonged period of stability without strikes or lockouts. We have negotiated some of the most competitive agreements in Canada to attract the best tradespeople to Alberta.
According to a recent report by BuildForce Canada prepared for the Resource Diversification Council, the Dow facility is among six planned projects from companies, including Inter Pipeline, Keyera, NOVA Chemicals, Nutrien and Pembina Pipeline. Together, these projects will create 20,250 construction jobs between 2023 and 2030 and nearly 660 operational jobs.
These are high-wage careers for construction workers across all unionized building trades – especially electricians, carpenters and scaffolders, steamfitters and pipefitters and labourers. These are essential tax revenue generators for your communities and our province and help grow Alberta’s economy.
An equally important benefit of these planned projects is that most focus on reducing emissions and helping Alberta reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
Alberta’s unionized construction employers are eager to help transition Canada’s energy economy to lower emissions. These projects allow our members to showcase their commitment, innovation, and unique ability to execute projects of global importance.
CLRA is excited to support our members in these pursuits in the lead-up to construction for the new Dow project in 2024 and as new projects come on stream.
These investments are essential to our national campaign to “Build Your Future In Alberta,” to attract construction trade workers to Alberta, and to our efforts to attract, educate, train and retain more Albertans in these same careers.
CLRA, our colleagues with the Building Trades of Alberta, and other unionized construction trades should take great pride in Dow attributing its investment decision to Alberta’s “high-class workforce.”
CLRA members prioritize well-being and safety. We offer predictability for investors, stability for workers, and reassurance that projects in Alberta will be completed on time, on budget, and to the highest safety and design standards.
We look forward to continuing our relationship with Dow and the other essential employers of the Resource Diversification Council for decades to come.
-Joe McFadyen, President CLRA
