On October 19th, British Columbians like Canadians right across the country voted for change. Renewal always brings new perspectives and fresh ideas and all Canadians should be thankful for our robust and mature democracy that has once again ensured a peaceful and orderly transfer of power.
We in the coal industry congratulate all the new MPs from British Columbia and across the country and welcome back those incumbents who won their seats again. And we congratulate Prime Minister designate Justin Trudeau who recognizes, as we do, that the economy and the environment are not mutually exclusive priorities; that in fact, “the two go together and should be considered as a single element to create prosperity for our country, our citizens, and our communities,” as he told Parliament.
And while Canadians have spoken about their desire for change, it’s important to note that some things don’t change – like the importance of the resource sector, including coal, to the BC and the Canadian economies.
Coal Alliance members work hard every day and invest heavily in new technologies to ensure the impact on the environment from our operations – including GhG emissions – is as minimal as possible.
Our industry supports 26,000 well-paying jobs in British Columbia and we add $3.2 billion to the provincial economy every year. We also produce a product the world needs – high quality steel-making coal.
And as the new government embarks on an ambitious program of infrastructure investment – roads, bridges and public transit – steel, and the BC coal used to make it, will be an indispensable part of that mix. That, too, hasn’t changed.
