BOOMING LABRADOR

The Big Land is booming. And with massive expansions in iron ore production and a hydro mega-project on-stream, Labrador West and Central communities are experiencing rapid growth. NEIA caught up with planning expert Dennis Peck for his insight into the challenges and opportunities posed by these resource developments.

NEIA: Dennis, your planning experience spans both Labrador and Fort McMurray, correct?

DP: Right. Currently I’m a manager in the Planning Department with the County of Strathcona, Alberta. And prior to being the director of planning in Fort McMurray, I was the executive director of the Labrador Economic Development Board in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. I know the area well. My wife is from Labrador and I’ve been going there since 1978.

NEIA: Given your considerable first-hand experience with communities undergoing rapid expansion due to resource exploitation, what do you see are the most pressing challenges for Labrador West?

DP: It’s the release of land to enable municipalities to develop housing and essential services for businesses, industrial parks and such. It’s basically all Crown land. So governments and municipalities need to work together to decide how to develop that land. Then it’ll require significant investment in terms of infrastructure. One problem municipalities have is that their money comes from property tax which means they get paid after, but they have to put the infrastructure in first. So even if they work with a developer who’s building lots, they still have to upgrade services such as water and sewer. That’s where bigger partners come in.

NEIA: Government partners?

DP: Yes, provincial and even federal government. All these players need to get together soon to see who can do what to coordinate it.

NEIA:  What do you see as the first steps necessary in addressing the big issues, such as land release?

DP: It’s about getting the right players in the room for serious - and sometimes blunt - conversations. That includes not only the provincial government and industry, but also municipalities and smaller businesses. It’s important to have an equal partnership at the table.

In Central Labrador, the First Nations are a critical part of the conversation as it’s largely their land. It’s also important to get industry, not only the big players but also organizations like the Chamber of Commerce and the economic development boards. They need to prioritize community needs and interests, where they want to go, and how they might go about solving them. And they need to find partners - people who will invest.

NEIA: What type of investment partners?

DP: There are various development companies, including unions. For example, the Ontario Teacher’s Union invests in large projects like major office building. It’s a matter of asking ‘who can help us build what we need?’

NEIA:  What about the Fort McMurray experience – are there transferable lessons that can be applied to Labrador?

DP: Well, for years there was no plan and that was a problem. Then the Oil Sands Secretariat – now called the Oil Sands Sustainability Secretariat – was created. They got various provincial government stakeholders around the table, many of whom had never really spoken to each other, then the community and industry players. Together they worked out what lands had to be released, who might invest, etcetera. Fort McMurray wasn’t afraid of work camps. They have almost 30,000 beds in work camps and these camps are self-sustaining so they minimize their impact on surrounding areas.

NEIA: How long will this take in terms of land release and getting the players around the table?

DP: It’s not unusual for a provincial land release process to take years. But it’s important to stress to politicians that the municipalities don’t have years. If everything is lined up, with investors in place, it can be done in a few months. It comes down to knowing where you’re going and why, and having the community buy into it. Because it’s the individual taxpayer who, to a large extent, is assuming the risk. They need to be on-side.

NEIA: Is there a role for Memorial University in this?

DP: Yes, if they move from the role of research and information gathering to implementation and supporting industry development.

NEIA: And what about opportunities for trades?

DP: It’s endless! Right now in Alberta with the projects in front of us, they’re talking of a shortage of 70,000 tradespeople. And there’ll be more projects in Labrador. So now it’s time to get serious about training.

NEIA: What opportunities do you see for the environmental industry in this province?

DP: If anything, I see a greater role in these projects as they go forward. Sustainability is no longer just a catch-phrase; you have to live it and walk it. So there are lots of opportunities to help municipalities develop into truly sustainable communities. And it’s also now a big part of how companies are viewed in the world. More and more, the environmental record of companies is front and centre of projects. And, as a service that is available almost anywhere, companies need to raise the game. But, there’s no reason why environmental industry players in Newfoundland and Labrador can’t compete.

These are world-scale projects in Labrador and they’ll be under significant scrutiny in terms of their environmental relationships. The environmental industry needs to see how they can provide that service, because it will be more and more the conversation of consumers.

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