The provincial government is once again calling on the government of Canada to approve Teck Resources’ Frontier oilsands project.
Alberta’s Minister of Environment and Parks Jason Nixon met with reporters on Friday where he stated the province wants jobs and not an ‘aid package’ from Ottawa.
Reports on Thursday stated the federal government was getting this package ready in the case the project isn’t approved.
“Teck is not a political gift – it deserves to be approved on its merits,” said Nixon.
“If the federal government takes seriously its commitment to science-driven, evidence-based decision-making, then it will accept the recommendation of the regulatory agencies and approve it.”
The Frontier project would be located around 110 km north of Fort McMurray and would produce around 260,000 barrels of oil per day.
It’s expected to create around 7,000 jobs during construction and another 2,500 during operations.
Several Indigenous groups have also publicly supported the project. This includes the Fort McMurray #468 First Nation, the McMurray Mtis, and the Fort McKay Mtis.
“All of the 14 directly affected First Nations have reached agreements with the company, and Frontier will provide large numbers of jobs for Indigenous Canadians,” added Nixon.
“They recognize that responsible resource development can serve as a path to prosperity.”
The federal government is currently reviewing the project after it was recommended to be approved by a joint review panel.