BC Chamber welcomes Joint Review Panel approval of Northern Gateway
VANCOUVER, Dec. 19, 2013 /CNW/ - The BC Chamber welcomes the Joint Review Panel's approval of the Northern Gateway pipeline project.
"This is great news for B.C.: It means that this pivotal, job-creating project has been examined from every angle and found sound," said John Winter, president and CEO of the BC Chamber of Commerce. "With this decision, British Columbians can confidently back this project, knowing that it meets our top-tier environmental and community standards."
The Joint Review Panel scrutinized the proposed project under both the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and the National Energy Board Act; it delivered its positive decision on the project today and set conditions that the project must meet. The project now needs to achieve approval by the federal cabinet.
Winter said the project has cleared a major hurdle, which sends a strong, positive message to the investment community in B.C. and beyond.
"The investment community has been closely watching the Northern Gateway project as an indicator of B.C.'s openness to resource development and other investments," he said. "This decision sends the message that, while our standards are rigorous, B.C. is open for business."
Today's decision follows a recent BC Chamber poll that found that 57 per cent of British Columbians would support the Northern Gateway project if it received a positive recommendation from the Joint Review Panel. Significantly, the poll found that B.C. support for the project swells to 63 per cent if the project can meet the B.C. government's five conditions for all new oil projects.
The BC Chamber is the largest and most broadly-based business organization in the province. Representing more than 125 Chambers of Commerce and 36,000 businesses of every size, sector and region of the province, the BC Chamber of Commerce is "The Voice of Business in BC."
SOURCE: BC Chamber of Commerce
John Winter
President & CEO
BC Chamber of Commerce
T 604.638.8110
C 604.376.3577
E [email protected]
Dan Baxter
Policy & Research Analyst
T 604.638.8116
E [email protected]
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