TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – Canada’s Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver on Tuesday welcomed a report by advisory firm Deloitte & Touche on the job creation and economic benefits of TransCanada’s proposed Energy East pipeline project.

Oliver underscored the fact that the Harper government was focused on creating jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity and, for these reasons, welcomed the report on the proposed Energy East pipeline, which would transport western Canadian oil to the east and new markets abroad.

“Subject to science-based regulatory review, our government strongly supports energy infrastructure projects that will create jobs and allow Canada to take advantage of the growing global demand for natural resources,” he said.

The Deloitte report’s findings demonstrated that the Energy East project would generate high-quality jobs for Canadians, including Aboriginal people, in every province along the pipeline route.

The report estimated more than 10 000 full-time jobs would be created during the development and construction phase and another 1 000 during the operation of the proposed pipeline. The project would also generate $35-billion in gross domestic product and $10-billion in tax revenues for municipal, provincial and federal governments.

“Our natural resources already directly and indirectly account for almost one-fifth of nominal gross domestic product and 1.8-million jobs across Canada. Natural resources also generate $30-billion in tax revenue and royalties annually to help fund critical social programmes like health care and education,” he said.

Pipelines moving oil from the west to the east would be among the most expansive and ambitious stretches of energy infrastructure in the world and would contribute to the energy security of Canada and the rest of North America.

Replacing higher cost foreign crude with lower cost Canadian crude for refineries in Quebec and Atlantic Canada would protect and increase job opportunities in the refinery sector and ensure a competitive fuel supply for consumers, he said.

“Pipeline safety is integral to the government’s plan for responsible resource development. We have increased protections and we will only allow such energy projects to proceed if they are proven safe for Canadians after an independent, science-based environmental and regulatory review,” Oliver added.

TransCanada announced last month that it would proceed with its proposed $12-billion, 1.1-million-barrel-a-day Energy East pipeline, which would transport crude oil from Western Canada to Eastern Canadian refineries and export terminals.