Construction on $1.2 billion pipeline expansion set to begin in northeast B.C.

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. —  An energy company is getting set to begin expanding a 2,952 kilometre natural gas pipeline this month, and is looking for local workers.

Westcoast Energy Inc., an Enbridge company, has announced it is preparing for construction on the Aspen Point Program, an expansion of the company’s natural gas pipeline system in northeast B.C.

The pipeline runs from the Fort Nelson region and Gordondale Alberta to the Canadian border with America. 

The northern part of the project, which connects mainlines in Fort Nelson, Fort St. John, Stewart Lake and Boundary Lake, was one of five projects announced to be fast-tracked by the provincial government in February.

According to an email to Energeticcity.ca, hiring for up to 475 workers between July 2025 and April 2026 has begun and is expected to continue “through the duration of the project.” 

“At Enbridge, we believe in building strong communities by investing directly in the communities where we live and work,” Dave Challoner, Enbridge manager of projects and Aspen Point Program project lead said.

“This project will create jobs and business opportunities, and we’ve required our contractors to prioritize hiring and sourcing services from Indigenous groups and local communities.”

Construction will not be focused on a single location, and will occur along the entirety of the line from Wonowon to Fort St. John and Taylor. 

By the conclusion of the project, work is expected to cost about $1.2 billion and add 535 million cubic feet per day of capacity to the company’s natural gas pipeline system. 

According to Westcoast, the project will involve adding segments of pipeline to increase natural gas capacity, installing electric-powered compressor units and constructing powerlines and a switch station to power the new units. 

To read what jobs Westcoast is hiring, see the information sheet below.