VICTORIA — Kinder Morgan's president says a study projecting a high rate of job creation in B.C. during the expansion of its Trans Mountain pipeline is based on fair and reasonable assumptions.
Ian Anderson says he has yet to fully review a Simon Fraser University study that counters the company's analysis, suggesting it would create one-third less jobs during construction.
Anderson says Kinder Morgan is open to examining the SFU study and will consider the impact of its conclusions.
He says he expects the study to be tabled as evidence to the National Energy Board, which is weighing environmental approval of the project.
Kinder Morgan's proposed $5.4 billion expansion would nearly triple its capacity to ship petroleum products to 890,000 barrels a day, enabling crude exports to Asia through the Vancouver area.
The SFU report's authors say B.C. government coffers will get a small benefit from the Trans Mountain expansion, with most of the benefits going to Alberta and oilsands producers.