Oilpatch workers have a plan, but Ottawa needs to act
As oil sands workers — or friends and family of someone in the energy industry — we acknowledge the contribution of fossil fuel extraction projects to our lives and livelihoods. We also know firsthand the many hardships endured by our out-of-work brothers and sisters, while acknowledging the urgent need to act on climate change.
That’s why we’re calling on the governments of Canada and Alberta to foster job opportunities for skilled workers that are aligned with our climate commitments.
Our plan is simple. Oil and gas workers are highly skilled and can be rapidly put to work building renewable energy projects — they just need upskilling support.
They need Canada’s manufacturing sector and existing energy projects retooled for renewables. They need government to support contractors and unions that want to make a clean transition.
What they don’t need is to remain dependent on the boom-and-bust cycles of oil and gas.
We heard from real workers across Canada who shared their hopes and stories to help us build the Workers’ Climate Plan. We know they care about the environment, the health of their families and pioneering change.
Iron & Earth is here to make sure the transition to a green energy economy doesn’t come at the expense of today’s energy workers, because they know energy production doesn’t have to come at the expense of the planet.
Tell government to Retrain, Retool and Rebuild Canada’s energy sector by adding your name now.
Iron & Earth respects your privacy. By entering your email you consent to receive electronic communications from us. You may unsubscribe at any time.
As oil sands workers — or friends and family of someone in the energy industry — we acknowledge the contribution of fossil fuel extraction projects to our lives and livelihoods. We also know firsthand the many hardships endured by our out-of-work brothers and sisters, while acknowledging the urgent need to act on climate change.
That’s why we’re calling on the governments of Canada and Alberta to foster job opportunities for skilled workers that are aligned with our climate commitments.
Our plan is simple. Oil and gas workers are highly skilled and can be rapidly put to work building renewable energy projects — they just need upskilling support.
They need Canada’s manufacturing sector and existing energy projects retooled for renewables. They need government to support contractors and unions that want to make a clean transition.
What they don’t need is to remain dependent on the boom-and-bust cycles of oil and gas.
We heard from real workers across Canada who shared their hopes and stories to help us build the Workers’ Climate Plan. We know they care about the environment, the health of their families and pioneering change.
Iron & Earth is here to make sure the transition to a green energy economy doesn’t come at the expense of today’s energy workers, because they know energy production doesn’t have to come at the expense of the planet.
Tell government to Retrain, Retool and Rebuild Canada’s energy sector by adding your name now.
Iron & Earth respects your privacy. By entering your email you consent to receive electronic communications from us. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Showing 925 reactions
The logical transfer of Directional Drilling skills, found in oil and gas, into the execution of Geothermal projects is inevitable given the pattern we’ve seen in Wind and Solar. Knowing that Geothermal will become the predominant sought after technology to heat and cooling most buildings, it is unintelligible for the Canadian Government and Provinces to ignore the human assets at risk. Someone will snap up those assets as the Geothermal market expands, but will it be Canadian?
Driving down the cost of such high efficiency technology is already happening through investment into the Geothermal and Renewables ecosystem globally. Whether Canadian investment comes through PACE financing or tax dollars is irrelevant, because we will be paying for that technology either way. Instead, ask whether we will be purchasing a Canadian product or service; perhaps Canada will show-up too late. Instead, ask what is the best way for Canadian citizens to capture these emerging energy markets using their own skills, innovation, and intelligence?
At the heart of our transition to renewable energy are the workers that will build and maintain the plethora of solutions available to reduce our GHG (… wind turbines, solar farms, net zero building…)
Much of the narrative on our planet’s changing climate relates to the harm it engenders and blueprints outlining solutions. The narrative MUST include the upskilling programs for workers directly impacted by our decreasing dependence on fossil fuels.
Thus, the sooner upskilling programs are available for oils sands workers,
the sooner they can contribute to the implementation of renewable energy solutions,
the sooner we can reduce our GHG levels to help save our earth !!!