For a province like New Brunswick, faced with the continued out migration of thousands of residents with job skills to resource-rich provinces like Alberta, the “social acceptance” of the Energy East proposal should be fairly straightforward, provided that the proper regulatory and environmental due diligence is followed.
In fact, we believe it is in the best interests of New Brunswick residents to openly welcome the opportunity that the massive pipeline investment can provide, over a period of decades.
From development to construction, and through its initial 40 years of operations, the Energy East pipeline has the potential to inject an estimated $3 billion in added GDP to New Brunswick, according to an independent study by Deloitte. In terms of direct jobs, the pipeline project is expected to lead to the creation of close to 3,000 full-time equivalents during the construction phase, and contribute just under $300 million in tax revenue.
While it may be tempting to dismiss these sorts of numbers as merely benefitting a select few in the province, the sheer scale of the proposed investment will lead to a significant multiplier effect throughout the entire economy. The pipeline investment will lead to more dollars being spent inside New Brunswick shops and other small businesses, and the revenue generated by all the added employment and capital infrastructure can help pay for New Brunswick’s schools and health care system.
Editorial
New Brunswick Telegraph — Social Acceptance and a Pipeline – June 12, 2014
