This release was issued under a previous government.
A big load at Two Hills
Today, there is only one staging area in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo on a site just south of Fort McMurray. Building a second staging area north of the city near Supertest Hill will support economic growth while creating jobs, reducing congestion and enhancing safety on Highway 63.
“Investments like this create jobs in the short- and medium-term and build a strong economic foundation for all Albertans. We are committed to helping Alberta’s energy sector become safer and more competitive. At the same time, we continue to work with our energy partners to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
More than 17,000 vehicles a day use Highway 63 north of Fort McMurray. That includes heavy industrial traffic and buses making more than 1,500 trips a day. Construction of the truck staging area is expected to begin this summer and be complete for public and commercial use in 2017.
“We welcome this needed investment in our region and thank the Government of Alberta for its commitment to our community. The development of this infrastructure is a positive step for workers, residents and industry and comes at an important time for all of us.”
“The Oil Sands Community Alliance identified this project as an important enhancement to support the safe and efficient movement of workers, goods and equipment. We look forward to continuing to work with Alberta Transportation to help address the transportation infrastructure challenges of the Athabasca Oil Sands Area.”
Acting on the advice of former Bank of Canada Governor David Dodge, the province has undertaken an ambitious $34.8 billion plan to build and upgrade critical infrastructure including roads, transit, schools and hospitals.
Transportation’s $9.3-billion Capital Plan over the next five years will help get Albertans back to work at well-paying jobs, with nearly 600 projects slated for construction over the next three years. The Fort McMurray truck staging area project is part of $377 million added to the Capital Plan for shovel-ready projects.