(Photo: Teck Resources)

By Sheldon Spackman

plenty weighing in

Reaction for and against Teck decision to cancel Frontier mine project

Feb 25, 2020 | 8:49 AM

Local reaction is pouring in from both sides regarding the decision Sunday night by Teck Resources to pull the plug on its massive oilsands project in northern Alberta.

Just days before a federal government decision was anticipated regarding the $20.6 billion Frontier Project, the Vancouver-based company announced it was withdrawing from the regulatory review process.

Christina Kruszewski, Regional Organizer for the Prairies-Northwest Territories region for the Council of Canadians, describes Teck’s decision as a win, saying the project was unacceptable on almost every metric.

“So things from Indigenous rights, consultation, climate change, water, ecosystems, jobs and even the track record of the company itself,” says Kruszewski. “It’s really significant I think that we’re seeing the company citing the need for climate change policy as the reason for backing out.”

Kruszewski says the decision is about a lot more than just political discourse over climate change.

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“The Alberta government is not standing up for the people it claims to represent, but it’s rather trying to prioritize the profit of corporations over people,” she exclaims. “It’s becoming increasingly more obvious that fossil fuel extraction cannot be a mainstay of our economy. What we really need is a clear plan of how we’re going to wind down the fossil fuel economy and build-up a renewal one based in justice.”

Reg Warkentin, policy and advocacy manager for the Red Deer and District Chamber of Commerce, describes Teck’s decision as a devastating blow to Alberta’s economy.

“It would have benefited all regions of this entire province,” says Warkentin. “When it comes to them sourcing materials, sourcing workers, obviously we have a lot of very talented tradespeople and manufacturers in the region. To have $20 billion less in our economy at the stroke of a pen is a huge loss.”

Warkentin laments Teck’s decision as a lost opportunity.

“Just the number of local people that could have gone up there to work, whether it was construction or whether it was in operations in their doing shift work and coming back and forth,” he explains. “It was an absolutely massive project and its loss will be felt for years to come, as well as the lasting impact of the message it sends for future project proponents considering Canada or Alberta as their jurisdiction of choice.”

Alberta Environment and Parks Minister, and Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre MLA Jason Nixon, said on Twitter that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is squarely to blame for Teck’s decision.

“On election night 2019, Trudeau expressed his desire to work w/ Alberta. This was an empty promise, plain and simple,” Nixon tweeted. “I want to know what the PM would say to the Albertans and First Nations who would’ve benefitted from this project.”

Prior to Teck announcing its decision, officials with the Alberta Environmental Network (AEN), of which ReThink Red Deer is a member, published an open letter on behalf of 18 Alberta environmental and community groups urging federal environment and climate change minister Jonathan Wilkinson to not approve the project.

The letter claimed adverse environmental impacts would occur in northern Alberta, along with further greenhouse gas emissions.

“To remain profitable (and ensure Teck covers the $2.9 billion expense to clean up the project when operations are complete), the Frontier Mine will depend on high oil prices throughout its 41-year lifespan,” reads AEN’s letter. “We are concerned that the economic viability of this project could result in the public covering the costs for clean up or the deferment of sufficient remediation. Approving this project moves our province in the wrong direction.”