The LNG industry is creating a once-in-a-lifetime chance to enable strong economic growth and provide employment opportunities for local companies throughout British Columbia, like Burnaby-based Hemmera.

As Small Business Month wraps up, it’s important to note that the LNG-Buy BC program has at its core a firm belief that the entrepreneurial spirit, skills and innovative abilities of B.C. businesses will lead to a high level of success regardless of where they enter the LNG supply chain.

From its beginnings as an enterprise of two to an agency with more than 250 professionals, Hemmera has been offering environmental consulting services in site assessment and remediation, environmental planning and management, and community engagement and social sciences since 1994 with offices in Burnaby, Victoria, Calgary, Whitehorse and Toronto.

Hemmera has been helping proponents navigate through the regulatory framework to achieve environmental compliance and minimize costly delays. With a history of established relationships with local, provincial and federal regulators, it’s been facilitating the management of negotiations and building support for proponents’ projects that safeguard the environment and support economic opportunities.

Hemmera has contributed to multi-billion projects from some of the world’s major corporations with services that can be scaled to fit nearly any size of project, including the management of large teams with multiple sub-consultants.

Quotes:

Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour –

“We’re entering an exciting time for businesses in B.C., and LNG is poised to become one of our province’s key industries. The government has put in place a number of resources to help businesses get involved and connect local suppliers with industry, including the LNG Buy-BC business kit and online tool. With thousands of job openings and benefits for B.C. business to emerge from LNG activities, we need to ensure British Columbians have the skills as well as tools they need to seize these opportunities.”

Coralee Oakes, Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction and Minister Responsible for the Liquor Distribution Branch –

 “The LNG Buy-BC tool and business kit are helping B.C. companies like Hemmera harness their potential and seize once-in-lifetime opportunities. I’m proud that local companies have the high-calibre skills to compete in the world marketplace.”

Richard T. Lee, MLA Burnaby North –

“It’s important that B.C. companies are first in line for the opportunities that LNG will generate throughout the economy. Hemmera is one such company that is situated in Burnaby and employs people in our local community. With more employment opportunities available in Burnaby, our local businesses will benefit as well.”

Jonathan Turner, business leader, Hemmera –

 “The Woodfibre LNG project is one of the many projects that we’ve been working on for the last 18 months. In B.C., the complexities of our Environmental Assessment and permitting process has that the LNG industry relying on B.C. firms like Hemmera to navigate the process to avoid costly delays. A trade show booth at the LNG conference provided great exposure to leaders in the LNG and pipeline industry and will help us further support those companies that are working to get a pipeline or facility permitted and constructed in a sustainable manner. The fact that we’ve been able to work with a number of international clients who are looking to build projects in B.C. demonstrates that LNG proponents are looking to hire local first.”

Quick Facts:

• The LNG opportunity is strengthening B.C.’s economic future. If five LNG plants are built in B.C., it could:
  • Generate a total investment of $175 billion
  • Contribute up to $1 trillion to the province’s gross domestic product
  • Create up to 100,000 direct, indirect and induced LNG-related jobs
• As of September 2015, there are 20 projects proposing to produce LNG for export along B.C.’s coast
• A large resource base of natural gas in northeastern B.C. – almost 2,800 trillion cubic feet – could support domestic and export markets for the next 150 years
• B.C. has one of the highest small-business confidence numbers in Canada.
• The Canadian Federation of Independent Business’ Barometer shows a positive outlook, and 47% of business owners say the state of their business is ‘good’;
  • 20% of small business owners in B.C. indicate they plan to add full-time staff; and
  • B.C.’s small-business confidence has been among the highest in Canada for over a year.
• Small businesses in B.C. generate 33% of the province’s gross domestic product and our government will continue to support them.

Learn More at:

YouTube: https://youtu.be/Wig2SmSMz28

LNG-Buy BC Program: www.LNGBuyBC.ca

BCBid: www.bcbid.gov.bc.ca

BC Jobs Plan: http://www.bcjobsplan.ca

B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint: www.workbc.ca/skills