The Coastal GasLink (CGL) pipeline provided an update to put a bow on 2021 and look forward to the new year. Construction on the massive project still has a long way to go, but a significant milestone was reached this year with over 50 per cent of the total project now completed.
As of the most recent update from Nov. 30, that progress is now at 57.7 per cent.
Some highlights of the year for CGL included community initiatives. Over $1.6 million was contributed to community organizations from CGL throughout the pipeline in 2021. This included $1,388,800 in local community investments, $140,000 in employee donations, and $85,000 in bottle donations from empties collected on the pipeline.
In addition to community involvement, there was a groundbreaking COVID-19 initiative that took place as well. In September, CGL became the first industrial project in B.C. to launch mobile vaccination units, intended to help keep workers and local communities safe by increasing vaccination rates among the work force.
The mobile clinics came back for a second round in November, and it was timed that way so that those who got their first dose in the first round September were eligible for the second dose. Almost 100 doses were administered in the first two weeks after the launch across the pipeline.
In terms of local progress, As of Dec. 16, in section six south of Burns Lake, 100 per cent of the clearing is complete and 76.9 per cent of the grading is complete. The installation of the pipeline in the section is 30.8 per cent complete. There are 386 workers at the 7 Mile Lodge.
In section seven south of Houston, things aren’t quite as far along as 96.4 per cent of the clearing is complete, and 7.4 per cent of the grading. Pipeline installation has yet to begin in section seven. There are 329 workers a Huckleberry Lodge.
As of Nov. 30, there were a total of 4,688 workers across the entire pipeline.