FIONA FAMULAK
BRITISH COLUMBIA – An economic study released by the BC Chamber of Commerce, the United Steelworkers and Teck Resources Limited, Economic Contribution Analysis of Mining Operations in the Elk Valley shows steelmaking coal operations in BC’s Elk Valley make up 80 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the region, sustain more than 30,000 jobs and contribute $1.5 billion in revenues annually to three levels of government. The study was produced by Deloitte LLP.
Teck’s operations in the Elk Valley produce among the lowest-carbon intensity steelmaking coal in the world, a key resource needed to support global population growth and the global transition to net-zero.
Economic Highlights
The Deloitte study shows that Teck’s Elk Valley steelmaking coal operations contribute the following:
Contributions to Canada
- $6.3 billion to Canada’s GDP
- 30,490 direct, indirect and induced jobs created or sustained across Canada
- $1.5 billion in total government revenues (federal, provincial, municipal)
- $2.9 billion to approximately 1,800 suppliers across Canada
Contributions to British Columbia
- $4.6 billion to British Columbia’s GDP
- 12,820 direct, indirect and induced jobs created or sustained across British Columbia
- $600 million in total government revenues (provincial, municipal)
- $1.4 billion to approximately 900 suppliers across British Columbia
- Contributions to the East Kootenay
- Teck’s operations contribute 80 per cent of GDP for the region that includes Cranbrook, Fernie, Sparwood and Elkford
- Nearly half, 2 in 5, of all jobs in Cranbrook, Fernie, Sparwood and Elkford are created or sustained by Teck’s activities
- 1 in 5 jobs in the Regional District of East Kootenay are created or sustained by Teck’s activities
“As the report demonstrates, mining supports 1000s of small- and medium-sized businesses across the province and country and provides critical revenues needed to support services for citizens.” said Fiona Famulak, President and CEO, BC Chamber of Commerce. “Teck’s Elk Valley operations clearly punch above its weight with respect to the contributions it makes to government revenues; which speaks to the importance of supporting our natural resource industries to overcome the impacts of the pandemic and best position us for the future.”
“Our members in the steelmaking coal mining sector play an important role in supporting the local, provincial and national economies,” said United Steelworkers Union District 3 Director Steve Hunt. “This report demonstrates how critical these ongoing operations are to communities and families, not just in the Elk Valley, but across the province and country. The wages provided through these operations are 87 per cent higher than the national average, allowing our members to support their local economies.”
“Teck is committed to responsible mining that creates economic opportunity, supports people, families and communities across BC and Canada while maintaining a healthy environment,” said Robin Sheremeta, Senior Vice President, Teck Coal. “Steel and steelmaking coal are an essential part of the modern world and global efforts to decarbonize the economy will drive long-term demand for Teck’s high- quality, low-carbon intensity steelmaking coal.”
This study measured the economic contribution of Teck’s Elk Valley operations in terms of GDP, labour income, employment, and government revenue. It traced how the expenditures and revenues associated with the Elk Valley operations ripple through the economy. It looked at direct economic impacts, indirect impacts, which arise from generating demand for goods and services provided by Teck’s suppliers, and the induced impacts, which arise from the spending of salaries and wages earned as a result of the Elk Valley operations.
The study also looked at Teck’s Elk Valley operations’ creating and enabling of a range of additional socio-economic benefits, including Indigenous community engagement, community contributions, innovation and technological capacity development, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
View the report here: https://bcchamber.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Teck-Resources-Economic-Contribution- Study-FINAL.pdf
