By Glenn Hicks

Sask. Chamber welcomes Trans Mountain pipeline purchase

May 29, 2018 | 5:00 PM

It’s not the business model they would have wanted but the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce is happy with the federal government’s decision to buy the Trans Mountain Pipeline.

The chamber reacted to news Tuesday that Ottawa will spend $4.5 billion to buy the Kinder Morgan infrastructure to ensure the expansion through B.C. is completed.

“We think this is great news for Saskatchewan and Canada and we think the federal government has made the right decision,” CEO Steve McLellan told paNOW.

He said the economic impacts would be felt short and long term with Regina-based EVRAZ steel helping to make the pipeline and tradespeople and service companies going west for the construction. He added getting oil to tidal water would ultimately increase Canada’s market base and increase prices.

Asked how the chamber (which represents business owners who ultimately use private funds for investment and risk) was digesting the news that taxpayers’ money would be buying the pipeline, McLellan said there was “no question this is a unique deal and it isn’t the model that we would have thought to be the best available to us.” However, he was still supportive.

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“Would we have preferred a private sector developer to carry forward as Kinder Morgan originally planned? Yes, no question,” he said. “But we’re happy the federal government is making this happen so our companies can work on the construction and get their product to market.”

Mclellan said 96 per cent of chamber members who responded to a recent survey said they supported the completion of the pipeline.

Asked by paNOW if that statistic would have been different had respondents known the pipeline would be purchased and expanded with public money McLellan said “ the second question we asked that also got a 96 per cent response was ‘ should the federal government use every reasonable tool at their disposal to ensure completion?’ I think this is a reasonable effort,” he said.

glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow