EDMONTON – The head of the Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA) is calling a federal aid package for the oil and gas industry a welcome start but cautioned more will be needed.
The federal government recently announced $1.7 billion in aid to clean up orphaned oil wells in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
“It’s a good day when thousands of jobs in Western Canada can be saved. However, with a record number of energy companies folding, it will take far more to stave off a full-scale collapse,” said PCA president Paul de Jong in a statement.
But de Jong stressed the oil and gas industry is a key sector of the Canadian economy and more aid is required where PCA member companies’ operations have been “scaled back, shut down or delayed, resulting in thousands of layoffs.”
“We’re still waiting for a federal aid package that fairly reflects the value and importance of the oil and gas industry. Given that this sector accounts for more than a tenth of GDP and employs tens of thousands of workers, the government still has a long way to go in demonstrating a real commitment to its survival,” de Jong added.
PCA previously sent an open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urging his government to provide aid to the oil and gas sector as well as praising him for a quick response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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