Following Prime Minister Mark Carney’s announcement of a multi-billion-dollar partnership to expand the Churchill Falls generating station, develop the Gull Island hydroelectric project and build new transmission infrastructure in Labrador, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) First District (Canada) International Vice President Russ Shewchuk released the following statement on the opportunities these projects will create for skilled workers and Canada’s energy future.
“IBEW members have a long history on the Churchill River. Thousands of our members helped build the original Churchill Falls project, and IBEW members continue to work at the generating station today. This announcement gives us an opportunity to build on that legacy.
“Expanding Churchill Falls, developing Gull Island and constructing hundreds of kilometres of new transmission will require a skilled workforce capable of delivering some of the most complex electrical work in the country.
“With a combined project value of nearly $70 billion, these projects represent the largest clean energy investment in North American history. Creating an anticipated 23,0000 construction jobs at peak, the scale of opportunity for IBEW and other Building Trades Union workers is significant.
“These projects will also produce the power needed to support new mines, industry and economic growth in Labrador and Québec, while strengthening Canada’s energy security and economy.
“Our members helped build Churchill Falls. We are proud of that history, and we are ready to build and maintain this historic investment in Canadian energy. We can’t wait to get to work.”
 | RUSS SHEWCHUK International Vice President IBEW First District, Canada |
Members and leadership from IBEW Local 2330 attended the announcement, and Business Manager James Martin released the following statement.
“This is excellent news for Newfoundland and Labrador and for our members at IBEW Local 2330 and IBEW Local 1620. Steady employment has been light for the past few years, and many of our members have had to travel to secure work. These projects will bring people home to their families and provide good-paying jobs that help pay mortgages, put kids through school and save for retirement.
“We expect to see work on the early phases begin within the next year, with years of work ahead. The new generation and transmission capacity will help attract more projects in mining, data, and other industries to our province well into the future.
“This work will give a new generation of apprentices the chance to start their careers on some of the country’s biggest energy projects and become journeypersons along the way.
“I appreciated the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Carney. It meant a lot to hear him speak about the IBEW and know our Canadian leadership by name. I also want to thank Premiers Tony Wakeland (Newfoundland and Labrador) and Christine Fréchette (Quebec) for their support on these projects, as well as Canada’s Secretary of State for Labour John Zerucelli for visiting our training centre earlier this month and meeting with Trades NL leaders. Taking the time to meet the people who will build these projects matters.
“It’s been a long time coming. We’re ready to get our members home and get Newfoundland and Labrador working.”
James Martin
Business Manager
IBEW Local 2330
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The IBEW First District (Canada) represents over 70,000 active members in Canada who work in a wide variety of fields, including construction, utilities, manufacturing, telecommunications, broadcasting, railroads and government.
IBEW Local 2330 represents more than 1,000 active members across Newfoundland and Labrador, including electrical and instrumentation apprentices and journeypersons, welders and industrial electricians. Since 1971, Local 2330 members have worked on many of the province’s largest industrial and energy projects, including the Upper Churchill Project, Hibernia, Voisey’s Bay, Hebron and Muskrat Falls.