TRICORP to benefit from $250,000 partnership with Gas Pipeline firms

Skills training in the Northwest received
a boost on Thursday with a
new partnership formed between
TRICORP and Gas Pipeline firms

Skills training and education for Aboriginal residents of Northwester British Columbia received a financial injection yesterday as TransCanada's Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Project and the Coastal GasLink Pipeline Project combined their funds to announce a 250,000 dollar partnership with the Tribal Resources investment Corporation.

During the announcement event hosted in Prince Rupert on Thursday the three groups outlined some of the background to the partnership which will provide support to local colleges and Aboriginal training organizations.

The educational and skills program will include three, 10 week courses that will be offered through late 2015-2016 in a number of Northwest communities.

Prince Rupert was identified on Thursday as one of the host locations for the upcoming program delivery. 

A total of 42 students are expected to be served by the program at the various locations across the Northwest.

"TRICORP has partnered with TransCanada and Service Canada to provide a unique opportunity for Aboriginal people in the Pacific Northwest to obtain the training needed to work in the LNG and other industry sectors," ... "This 'Training to Employment Program (TEP)' will also provide the essential skills needed for those participants who are looking for further educational opportunities." -- Jacquie Ridley, Chief Operating Officer for TRICORP.

TransCanada Senior Vice President Tony Palmer noted how the two gas pipeline firms were acting in response to feedback that they had received from recent assessments. As the two companies explored what was required when it comes to skills and training for local workers for potential pipeline development in the Northwest

"TransCanada is committed to helping build stronger communities and a better quality of life for those living in northern B.C. Partnerships like this help communities take advantage of economic opportunities related to TransCanada's B.C. pipeline projects," ... "Aboriginal and local communities, as well as the socio-economic assessments from both the Coastal GasLink and Prince Rupert pipeline projects, have identified the need for skills training and industry certification programs in northern B.C. This partnership is a direct response to that feedback and we look forward to the contribution that these students will make to our industry."

TransCanada is proposing to construct and operate a 900 kilometre gas pipeline to deliver natural gas to the proposed Pacific NorthWest LNG Facility at Lelu Island near Port Edward, Coastal GasLink is the proponent of a gas pipeline to deliver natural gas to a proposed LNG export facility near Kitimat.

No details were release related to applications for the program or the timeline for delivery, you can find out more on those plans from TRICORP, the ways to reach them can be found here.

You can review more on Thursday's announcement here.

More on the work of TRICORP in the Northwest can be found here.