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ABOUT NORTHEASTERN BRITISH COLUMBIA

REVIEW NORTHEASTERN

Jobs Careers Information

March

2017

15 Things You Should Never Say at Work

1

March 2017

Table of Contents

1105 103rd Avenue Dawson Creek, BC Phone: (250) 782-8744 Fax: (250) 782-8018 5016 50th Avenue Chetwynd, BC Phone: (250) 788-2500 Fax: (250) 788-2501

JOB SEARCH & SUPPORT SERVICES PO Box 156, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4G3

www.jobsearchonline.bc.ca

J S S S E R V I C E S

INTRODUCTION ________________________ 3-10 Unemployment Rate Labour Force Employment Insurance Labour Force Survey Payroll Employment, Earnings & Hours

CAREERS & JOB SKILLS ______________ 11-13 PetroLMI Launches Expanded Career Planning

Tool 15 Things You Should Never Say at Work

CONSTRUCTION ______________________ 14-17 Construction Permits for Dawson Creek Construction Permits for Fort St John Building Permits Highway 97 Safety Funds Intersection Improvements Hot-in-Place Recycling Governors Corridor Improvements Roofing Roofing Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Outfall

Relocation Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades Office Complex Sidewalk & Street Lighting Improvements Electrical Power Supply Street Reconstruction Windows Canopy & Sidewalk Thunder Mountain Wind Project St Martin’s Anglican Church Thunder Mountain South Hackney Hills Wind Park

ENERGY & MINES _____________________ 18-25 BC Land Sale Alberta Sales Alberta Fiscal Year Land Sales Wells Licensed or Spud, 2017 Prince Rupert LNG NGTL Towerbirch Expansion License Count to End of February Trican Buys Canyon Wells Rig Released Cenovus-ConocoPhillips Deal Active Oil Rigs—Peace Liard

http://www.jobsearchonline.bc.ca

March 2017

Introduction

NORTHEASTERN BC UNEMPLOYMENT RATES Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2008 *— *— *— 4.3 5.0 5.9 6.2 6.3 5.8 5.0 4.5 3.6 2009 4.6 4.6 6.5 6.5 8.4 7.7 7.9 8.3 7.9 7.2 5.5 5.4 2010 4.9 4.4 4.4 5.3 6.9 7.5 7.3 6.8 7.6 7.6 6.4 7.1 2011 9.0 9.1 8.1 5.4 5.1 4.0 4.4 4.2 4.3 4.3 *— *— 2012 *— 3.7 3.6 4.2 3.9 4.8 4.3 4.8 4.4 3.8 *— *— 2013 *— 4.1 4.6 5.2 6.1 4.9 4.5 4.4 4.9 4.9 3.6 4.7 2014 6.6 7.4 8.6 8.6 8.0 6.3 4.7 4.1 4.0 *— *— *— 2015 *— *— 4.2 4.7 5.9 6.1 6.4 5.5 5.5 6.2 7.0 7.6 2016 8.5 9.2 9.7 9.4 9.6 9.2 8.8 8.6 9.4 9.7 10.0 10.5 2017 10.5 8.7

In February 2017, the unemployment rate in BC is 5.7% and 8.6% in Alberta. *— : suppressed to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act

BC Highlights The unemployment rate in British Columbia was 5.1% in February, down from 5.6% in January. The gain in

employment relative to the previous month (+19,400) was much greater than the increase in the size of the labour force (+6,600). The unemployment rate was also lower when compared to February 2016, when it was 6.5%. Job growth (+84,900) was greater than the growth in the labour force (+50,400) over the course of the past twelve months.

Compared to January, there were 33,400 more full-time jobs, while part-time jobs fell by 13,900. In February, employment in both the public sector (+13,800) and the private sector (+6,400) increased

relative to the month before, while the number of self-employed individuals dropped slightly (-800) during the same time period.

Provincial comparisons

At 5.1%, British Columbia’s unemployment rate remained the lowest in Canada during the month of February. Manitoba (5.8%) and Saskatchewan (6.0%) recorded the second and third lowest unemployment rates. At 8.3%, Alberta’s unemployment rate was seventh lowest among the provinces.

National Highlights During the month of February, employment in Canada was almost unchanged (+15,300 or +0.1%), while the

labour force shrank (-23,000 or -0.1%). As a result, the national unemployment rate dropped 0.2 percentage points to 6.6%.

(Continued on page 4)

LABOUR FORCE

March 2017

Introduction

EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE

January 2017 In January, 567,900 people received Employment Insurance (EI) benefits, little changed from the previous

month (-1,900 or -0.3%). Provincially, Alberta recorded the largest decrease in beneficiaries in January (-6.2%). Smaller declines

occurred in Saskatchewan (-1.9%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (-1.1%). Conversely, the number of beneficiaries increased in Quebec (+2.8%), Manitoba (+1.5%) and Prince Edward Island (+1.1%). It was little changed in the remaining provinces.

In the 12 months to January, the number of EI beneficiaries in Canada was up by 20,300 or 3.7%, largely as a result of increases in Alberta.

In general, changes in the number of EI beneficiaries reflect various situations, including people becoming beneficiaries, people going back to work and people no longer receiving regular benefits.

Part of the year-over-year increase in January may be related to changes in EI policy, including those that came into effect in July 2016. More information on the 2016 EI changes is available on Employment and Social Development Canada's website. Provincial and sub-provincial overview

In Alberta, 91,700 people received EI benefits in January -- a decrease of 6,100 or 6.2% from December. This is the first notable decrease that has occurred in the province since September 2014, excluding August 2016, when there was a sizable offsetting decrease in the number of beneficiaries following the implementation of EI policy changes in July. The January 2017 decline was also the largest monthly (percentage) decrease in Alberta since April 2012.


Gender In February, employment in British Columbia for men (aged 25 years and over) grew by 11,300 jobs, while

the labour force increased by 9,000. As a result, the unemployment rate was 4.6%, down 0.2 percentage points from the previous month.

For women (aged 25 years and over), employment increased by 11,300 jobs. The labour force grew at a slower pace (+6,100), pushing the unemployment rate down by 0.5 percentage points to 4.3%.

Compared to February 2016, the unemployment rate for men was down by 1.5 percentage points to 4.6%, and for women it was down by 0.6 percentage points to 4.3%. Jobs for men increased by 26,700 (+2.5%) compared to a year ago, and for women employment climbed by 46,900 (+4.9%).

Youths Aged 15 to 24 Years

The unemployment rate for youth aged 15 to 24 years fell by 1.2 percentage points to 8.7% in February. Employment decreased by 3,300 jobs while the labour force diminished by 8,500 people. Compared to February 2016, the unemployment rate for youth decreased by 3.5 percentage points to 8.7%.

BC Stats Infoline

(Continued from page 3)

LABOUR FORCE

March 2017

Decreases in the number of beneficiaries occurred throughout Alberta, including the census metropolitan areas (CMAs) of Edmonton (-5.8%) and Calgary (-4.6%).

Beginning in July 2016, regular EI benefits were extended for anywhere from 5 to 25 weeks in 15 regions experiencing significant increases in the rate of unemployment, including all areas of Alberta as well as most areas of Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador. The January decrease in the number of beneficiaries in these provinces may reflect an increase in the number of people who have exhausted their extended benefits. In Alberta, the January decrease in the number of beneficiaries could also reflect improvements in the local labour market, coinciding with the recent rise in global oil prices, as well as remediation and reconstruction activity in Fort McMurray following the May 2016 wildfires.

On a year-over-year basis, the number of beneficiaries in Alberta rose by 41.2%. In Saskatchewan, 19,300 people received benefits in January, 370 or 1.9% fewer than in December. Decreases

were observed in all areas of the province, with the exception of Regina, where the number of beneficiaries increased by 3.8%. In the 12 months to January, the number of beneficiaries in Saskatchewan grew by 23.1%.

The number of beneficiaries in Newfoundland and Labrador decreased in January, down 430 or 1.1% to 37,400. The CMA of St. John's was the only area where the number of beneficiaries was little changed from December. Declines were observed in all other areas of the province. On a year-over-year basis, the number of beneficiaries in Newfoundland and Labrador increased by 6.7%.

After five months of decreases, the number of people receiving benefits in Quebec increased in January, up 3,800 or 2.8% from December to 136,900. While increases were observed throughout the province, the largest percentage increase occurred in the CMA of Sherbrooke (+8.2%). The increase in the number of EI beneficiaries in Quebec was most notable in occupations related to manufacturing and utilities, as well as in trades, transport and equipment operators.

In the 12 months to January, the number of beneficiaries in Quebec decreased by 6.2%. The number of beneficiaries in Manitoba rose in January, up 230 or 1.5% from December to 16,100. Most of

this increase occurred in the CMA of Winnipeg (+2.6%). On a year-over-year basis, the number of beneficiaries in the province increased by 2.9%.

The number of beneficiaries in Prince Edward Island grew by 90 or 1.1% in January to 7,900. This increase was evenly distributed across the province. In the 12 months to January, the number of beneficiaries in the province increased by 2.5%.

The number of EI beneficiaries in the other provinces was little changed in January. However, this was not the case for certain areas in New Brunswick, Ontario and British Columbia. The number of beneficiaries rose by 4.9% in Saint John, New Brunswick. In Ontario, Greater Sudbury (-6.6%), Peterborough (-2.3%) and Windsor (-2.2%) recorded decreases in the number of beneficiaries, while most of the remaining CMAs posted increases, including Thunder Bay (+3.6%), Guelph (+3.4%) and London (+2.9%). In British Columbia, there were fewer beneficiaries in Kelowna (-4.2%) and Victoria (-3.7%), while there were more in Vancouver (+2.1%).

Employment Insurance beneficiaries by occupation

Looking at the last occupation of EI beneficiaries, in the 12 months to January, the only decrease occurred in education, law and social, community and government services (-5.0%). It was the 12th consecutive month in




Introduction

March 2017

which an annual decrease occurred in this occupational group. January marked the fifth consecutive month where the number of beneficiaries in manufacturing and utilities was little changed on a year-over-year basis.

The number of beneficiaries increased in 8 of the 10 major occupational groups. The most notable increases were in management occupations (+6.3%); trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations (+6.2%); and health occupations (+5.9%). The number of beneficiaries in management occupations, business, finance and administrative occupations, natural and applied science occupations, and trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations has been increasing on a year-over-year basis since early 2015. In contrast, the upward trend in the number of beneficiaries in health occupations, occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport, and sales and service occupations began after EI policy changes were implemented in July 2016.

Employment Insurance beneficiaries in major demographic groups

In January, there was a decrease in the number of women aged 55 years and older (-1.4%) who were beneficiaries. All of the other major demographic groups were virtually unchanged.

On a year-over-year basis, the number of male (+4.2%) and female (+2.8%) beneficiaries increased in January. Among women, 65.8% of this increase consisted of those aged 55 years and older. Among men, 47.0% of the additional beneficiaries in January were aged 25 to 54 and 52.5% were aged 55 years and older.

Employment Insurance claims

The number of EI claims totalled 227,100 in January, down 10,400 or 4.4% from the previous month. The number of claims decreased in all provinces in January, with the exception of Newfoundland and

Labrador, where it increased, and Quebec, where it was essentially unchanged. Among the provinces, Alberta had the largest reduction in the number of claims (-15.0%). It was the largest monthly decrease in the province since June 2009, excluding offsetting decreases in June and August 2016. This decrease may reflect an increase in the number of people who have either not had insurable employment or not accumulated enough insurable hours in the past 12 months, and who are therefore not eligible to claim EI benefits. As with the decrease in the number of beneficiaries in Alberta, the decrease in the number of claims may also reflect improvement in the provincial economy.

In January, British Columbia (-6.8%) and Ontario (-4.2%) also had decreases in the number of claims. Together with Alberta, they accounted for much of the national decrease.

Compared with 12 months earlier, the number of claims in Canada was down by 8.5% in January. The number of claims provides an indication of the number of people who could become beneficiaries.

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/170323/dq170323a-eng.htm



Introduction


March 2017

Introduction

February 2017 Employment was little changed in February (+15,000 or +0.1%). An increase in the number of people

working full time offset a decline in the number of people working part time. With fewer people searching for work, the unemployment rate declined by 0.2 percentage points to 6.6%, matching the rate observed in January 2015 and the lowest since October 2008.

In the 12 months to February, employment rose by 288,000 (+1.6%), with most of the gains occurring since July 2016. This coincided with stronger economic growth in the second half of 2016.

In February, there were an estimated 105,000 more people working full time, the second notable increase in three months. In the 12 months to February, full-time employment rose by 235,000 (+1.6%), driven by increases since July. The number of people working part time fell by an estimated 90,000 in February, following a period of growth that began in the autumn of 2015.

In the 12 months to February, the total number of hours worked was little changed. From January to February, employment increased among core-aged women (25 to 54 years old) and men

aged 55 and older. There was little employment change among the other demographic groups. Provincially, employment rose in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. In contrast, there were fewer

people working in Nova Scotia and in Newfoundland and Labrador. Employment was essentially unchanged in the other five provinces.

In February, more people were employed in wholesale and retail trade, public administration, and in transportation and warehousing.

Employment increases for core-aged women

Employment among women aged 25 to 54 increased for the third consecutive month, up 18,000 in February. Their unemployment rate remained at 5.3% as more women in this age group participated in the labour market. More core-aged women worked full time in the month (+84,000) and this was partly offset by fewer of them working part time (-65,000). The recent employment gains for core-aged women boosted their year-over-year employment growth to 98,000 (+1.7%).

Following a notable increase in January, employment for 25- to 54-year-old men held steady in February. Compared with February 2016, employment for this group increased by 63,000 (+1.0%), driven by gains since the fall of 2016. In the 12 months to February, the unemployment rate for core-aged men fell by a full percentage point to 5.8%.

Employment among men aged 55 and older increased by 14,000 in February, and their unemployment rate was 6.3%. In the 12 months to February, employment among older men rose by 63,000 (+3.1%) and their population increased by 154,000 (+3.1%).

In February, employment among women aged 55 and older held steady and their unemployment rate was 5.2%. Compared with 12 months earlier, 56,000 (+3.4%) more women aged 55 and older were working, and the number of women in this age group rose by 156,000 (+2.9%).

Employment among youths aged 15 to 24 was little changed in February, both in the month and on a year-over-year basis, while their population continued to decline. Their unemployment rate was down by 0.9 percentage points to 12.4% in February, as fewer youths searched for work.


LABOUR FORCE SURVEY

March 2017

LABOUR FORCE SURVEY

Provincial summary In February, employment increased by 19,000 in British Columbia, continuing an upward trend that began in

the spring of 2015. The increase was fueled by gains in full-time work and was spread across several industries. In the 12 months to February, employment increased by 85,000 or 3.6%, the fastest growth rate among the provinces. Over the same period, the unemployment rate fell by 1.4 percentage points to 5.1%, the lowest since October 2008. In February, British Columbia posted the lowest unemployment rate among the provinces.

Employment in Saskatchewan rose by 8,000 in February, the largest increase since April 2012. Nearly all of the gains were in full-time work and stemmed from the services sector. Prior to the increase in February, total employment had been relatively flat since the spring of 2016. In February, the provincial unemployment rate fell by 0.4 percentage points to 6.0%.

In Manitoba, employment increased by 3,400 in February, driven by gains in full-time work and in construction. At the same time, the unemployment rate fell by 0.3 percentage points to 5.8%, the second lowest among the provinces following British Columbia. The employment increase in February boosted year-over-year gains for the province to 6,600 (+1.0%).

In February, the number of people working full time increased by 53,000 in Ontario, offsetting a similar-sized decrease in the number of people working part time, resulting in little change in overall employment for the month. Building on gains since July, employment in Ontario was up by 108,000 (+1.5%) on a year-over-year basis, with virtually all of the increase in full-time work. In February, the unemployment rate declined by 0.2 percentage points to 6.2% as the number of people searching for work edged down.

There was little employment change in Quebec for the second consecutive month. In the 12 months to February, employment was up by 83,000 (+2.0%), powered by gains in the second half of 2016. The unemployment rate in February was 6.4%, down 1.1 percentage points from 12 months earlier.

In Alberta, employment held steady in February, with full-time gains (+19,000) offsetting losses in part-time employment (-18,000). Following significant declines from the autumn of 2015 to the summer of 2016, total employment in the province has been stable in recent months. In February, the unemployment rate fell by 0.5 percentage points to 8.3%, as fewer people searched for work.

Following an increase in January, there were 6,800 fewer people working in Nova Scotia in February and the unemployment rate was 8.1%. The employment decline was largely the result of a drop in part-time employment. Although total employment in the province decreased in February, it was little changed compared with 12 months earlier.

Employment in Newfoundland and Labrador fell by 3,800 in February and the unemployment rate was 14.2%. The employment decline in February offset an increase in January and continued a downward trend that began in May 2016. In the 12 months to February, employment in the province fell by 6,400 (-2.8%).

Industry perspective Following little change in the previous three months, employment in wholesale and retail trade increased by

19,000 in February and edged up by 35,000 (+1.3%) on a year-over-year basis. The additional employment in February followed higher sales reported in the latter part of 2016 at both the wholesale and retail level.

Employment in transportation and warehousing increased for the second consecutive month, up 8,800 in February. Compared with 12 months earlier, employment in this industry increased by 34,000 (+3.8%).



Introduction

March 2017

Employment in public administration also increased for the second consecutive month, up 12,000 in February, bringing total gains to 65,000 (+7.2%) on a year-over-year basis. In the 12 months to February, there were more people employed at the federal level and also at the local, municipal and regional level.

The number of private and public sector employees was little changed in February. On a year-over-year basis, increases in the number of private sector employees totalled 253,000 (+2.2%), spread across several service industries, while public sector employment rose by 78,000 (+2.2%), driven by gains in public administration. The number of self-employed workers was little changed in February and edged down from 12 months earlier.



Introduction

LABOUR FORCE SURVEY

January 2017 Average weekly earnings of non-farm payroll employees were $967 in January, little changed from December

and up 1.8% from January 2016. In general, changes in weekly earnings reflect a number of factors, including wage growth; changes in the

composition of employment by industry, occupation and level of job experience; and average hours worked per week.

Non-farm payroll employees worked an average of 32.7 hours per week in January, down from 32.8 hours in both the previous month and 12 months earlier.

Average weekly earnings by sector

Compared with 12 months earlier, average weekly earnings rose in 4 of the 10 largest industrial sectors. Earnings increased in manufacturing, educational services, health care and social assistance, as well as wholesale trade. At the same time, earnings declined in accommodation and food services, while there was little change in the remaining large sectors.

Average weekly earnings in manufacturing rose 4.7% to $1,115. Growth was driven by increases in several manufacturing subsectors (food, wood products, and petroleum and coal products) and was widespread across the provinces, most notably in Ontario and Quebec. Part of the increase was also due to earnings in manufacturing being at a relatively low point in January 2016.

Average weekly earnings in educational services grew 3.3% to $1,037. The most notable growth was in universities, which had gains in both employment and earnings. Earnings in educational services have been on an upward trend since March 2016.

Average weekly earnings in health care and social assistance rose 3.1% to $883. Increases in earnings were widespread throughout the sector, with the largest in nursing and residential care facilities.

Average weekly earnings in wholesale trade were up 3.0% to $1,173, with the largest increases among merchant wholesalers of machinery, equipment and supplies as well as building material and supplies.

On the other hand, earnings in accommodation and food services fell 2.0% to $369. At the same time, the number of employees increased, but average weekly hours decreased. The most notable decline in earnings was in full-service restaurants and limited-service eating places, which is among the lowest-earning industries.


PAYROLL EMPLOYMENT, EARNINGS & HOURS


March 2017

Average weekly earnings by province Compared with January 2016, average weekly earnings of non-farm payroll employees rose in 9 of the 10

provinces, led by New Brunswick. There was little change in Alberta. Average weekly earnings in New Brunswick increased 3.0% to $889. Gains were most notable in health care

and social assistance as well as manufacturing. In British Columbia, average weekly earnings grew by 2.7% to $931. There were increases in several

industries, led by administrative and support services and educational services. Average weekly earnings in Prince Edward Island were up 2.6% to $828, particularly in finance and insurance,

as well as health care and social assistance. Average weekly earnings in Saskatchewan rose 2.4% to $1,008. Increases in earnings were spread across

several sectors, driven by health care and social assistance as well as educational services. In Manitoba, average weekly earnings were up 2.3% to $898, with notable gains in finance and insurance, as

well as construction. Average weekly earnings in Ontario rose 2.2% to $986, with manufacturing, finance and insurance, as well as

health care and social assistance contributing the most to the increase. In Alberta, average weekly earnings were little changed. While there were increases in health care and social

assistance as well as educational services, earnings in natural resources, construction, and professional, scientific and technical services held steady. This follows large year-over-year declines since early 2015. As a result, the downward trend that began in 2015 has lessened in the second half of 2016. Non-farm payroll employment by sector

The total number of non-farm payroll employees in January was little changed from the previous month. However, there were increases in several sectors, notably in manufacturing, accommodation and food services, and public administration. At the same time, there were fewer payroll employees working in educational services and construction.

Compared with January 2016, the number of non-farm payroll employees was up 246,600 (+1.6%). The largest increases were in health care and social assistance (+49,100 or +2.7%), accommodation and food services (+36,800 or +2.9%) and retail trade (+30,500 or +1.6%).

Over the same period, there were declines in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (-5,100 or -2.6%), although the downward trend that began in the fall of 2014 has lessened. Wholesale trade (-4,000 or -0.5%) also declined. Recent labour-market developments

In the 12 months to January, the pace of employment growth has been similar in both of Statistics Canada's monthly surveys with data on employment: the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours and the Labour Force Survey.

During this same period, both surveys showed employment gains in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. For example, combined with employment gains, average weekly earnings rose 2.2% in Ontario, outpacing the national average (+1.8%). At the same time, the unemployment rate for the province declined 0.3 percentage points to 6.4%.

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/170331/dq170331b-eng.htm


PAYROLL EMPLOYMENT, EARNINGS & HOURS

Introduction

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/170331/dq170331b-eng.htm

March 2017

Careers & Job Skills

PetroLMI has launched an expansion to its Career Explorer, which allows users to browse, search and compare more than 100 occupations in the oil and gas industry, as well as explore their transferable skills to other occupations and other industry sectors.

"With some positive momentum in the oil and gas sector, this tool can help job seekers match their skills and qualifications to a number of occupations in the industry. It can also help oil and gas workers determine what competencies and training will be required if they want to move into other occupations -- whether that's to a more senior position or a different occupation altogether," said Carol Howes, Enform's vice-president of communications and PetroLMI. "Employers can also use the tool to look at compatible occupations for internal transfers and labour force adjustments."

Career Explorer provides information on skills, education and training requirements as well as working conditions in eight job categories: engineers, field workers, geoscience professionals, marine and nautical services, trades, business and operations support, operators and technology professionals. Each job category includes a list of example job titles and corresponding National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes as well as an overview of in-demand occupations.

PetroLMI's website at www.careersinoilandgas.com has also been revised to include updated information on working in the industry, including the variety of activity across Canada, the kinds of innovation and technologies that are currently underway and being used and scholarships and grants available.

Career Explorer also provides an overview of all that can be used by career practitioners to help chart career paths. The self-assessment feature allows users to identify possible entry points for candidates given their education level, work preferences and critical knowledge and skills. Each profile also includes information on career path possibilities and related occupations, as well as a list of other industries that employ similar occupations.

JuneWarren-Nickle's Energy Group

PETROLMI LAUNCHES EXPANDED CAREER PLANNING TOOL

15 THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER SAY AT WORK Written by Julie Blais Comeau

Words matter. They have the power to clarify, inform, educate, inspire, and motivate. And on the job, what you say

can make a big difference in the way you're perceived, and whether or not you agree with it, perception is a necessary component of professional success.

To help you communicate with confidence and credibility, here are fifteen things you should never say at work.

1. "It's not my job"

If you're requested to do something that is out of your job description, it isn't always because a boss is trying to take advantage of you (although that may sometimes be the case). Often, it's because a manager believes you can perform the task. It is, in a sense, a challenge, and if you respond with "it's not my job," you're letting them know that you're not up to that challenge (and, in some cases, not a team player).

http://www.careersinoilandgas.com

March 2017

If you feel as if you don't have the time, resources, or skills to perform the task, let it be known, but use this kind of response instead: "I can do this, but I may need some clarification and assistance. Is there someone that can guide me?" This makes it clear that it's out of the scope of your normal tasks, but shows that you're willing to help the team and learn something new.

2. "It's not fair"

Bill Gates said it and your parents probably did too: life is not fair. We all have to cope with challenges and obstacles. If there is an issue you encounter at work, assemble the facts, book a meeting with your manager, and discuss it. You don't, however, want to talk about fairness. You want to instead focus on how this issue is affecting your performance and job satisfaction.

3. "I think that ... "

This is a natural way to bring up an opinion for many people, but it's not a very persuasive way to present ideas. To seem more sure of yourself, replace it with words of conviction: "I believe that," "I am certain that," or "I trust that."

4. "I will try to ... "

Ooh la la, when I hear this sentence, I lose confidence right away. It implies that there is the possibility that whatever I am requesting, may not be done. Instead, use "I will ... " and my confidence in you will instantly return. If you think you're unable to do it within the timeline, say so and present a more realistic option.

5. "Maybe it's stupid, but ... "

By saying that it's stupid, you just minimized your own words and ideas. You are thus sowing doubt. Others may think "If it's stupid, maybe he's stupid?"

Remove this preface. State your ideas clearly and confidently. "I have a suggestion... " or "Have you ever thought about it this way?" are ways that you can preface a suggestion that are far more confident.

6. "I don't have time to talk right now"

If the phone rings and you're incapable of talking, don't take the call! Let your voicemail do its job. Otherwise it may come across the wrong way. Similarly, if you run into someone at the office and you're in a hurry, tell them and offer to book a meeting later to discuss whatever is on their mind. This shows that you value your co-workers and clients, as well as your daily agenda!

7. "To be honest with you" or "To tell you the truth"

It may seem silly, but prefacing statements this way can make the person you're talking to think "Were you lying to me in the past?" or "Have you been keeping things from me?" Cut out these phrases to remove any doubt about your honesty and transparency.

8. “Always" or "Never"

As Obi-Wan Kenobi said in Star Wars, "Only a Sith deals in absolutes." Asserting something in this way could put you in an embarrassing situation in the future.



15 THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER SAY AT WORK


March 2017

9. "Impossible" or "It can't be done"

Nobody likes a negative and pessimistic attitude. If you're asked to do something, it's because they believe it's possible and they believe in you. If you have concerns about actually getting it done, respond instead with, "Let me look into our options and resources, and I'll get back to you. "

10. "It's just a joke!"

If you have to say this, it's probably because you've upset someone. Instead of saying it was a joke, it might be better to to apologize for your insensitivity (and keep future jokes to yourself).

11. "I just want to know" or "I just want to say"

These words are superfluous. They denote hesitation and a lack of confidence. Avoid them. Be direct and say what you mean.

12. "Maybe" or "It depends"

When you are asked a question, a clear answer is almost always preferred. Strive to say "Yes" or "No" or at least present options. If you need additional information, ask for clarification. If it's a matter of time, add these details.

13. "$ # @% ?! "

Workopolis has in the past written about why it may be good to swear at work, but I would disagree. Cursing at work can paint a negative picture of your character and professionalism, both of which can minimize your credibility and reduce your chances of advancement.

14. "WOW! Fan-tas-tic!": all day long

If everything is great, nothing is. Right? It's one thing to be positive, but if you over do it, you'll only end up annoying some of your colleagues.

15. "No problem"

This seems to be an increasingly common replacement for "You're welcome." The thing is, it can give the wrong impression, namely that the person asking for your help has been a bother. After all, who said anything about there being a problem? Instead, stick to the tried and true "you're welcome" or "my pleasure," and you will come across as being much friendlier.

Well, there you have it. I know, it's probably easier to write than to do. But it can be done. Start by observing

others. What do they say and what reactions do they get? What works well in meetings, conversations, negotiations, and presentations? With your observations, and the tips in this post, you'll soon be communicating in a positive way, broadcasting confidence and credibility.

www.workopolis.com


15 THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER SAY AT WORK


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March 2017

Construction Permits for Dawson Creek

February Permits issued 2017 5 Single Family Dwelling Mobile Home Duplex Multi-Family Garage/Renovation 3 Commercial 1 Institutional 1 Industrial February 2017 $1,149,740 Year to Date 2017 $3,980,240 Year to Date 2016 $9,380,718

City of Dawson Creek

Construction

Construction Permits for Fort St John

February Permits issued 2017 8 Single Family Dwelling 2 Mobile Home Duplex Multi-Family Garage/Renovation Commercial 4 Institutional Industrial 2 February 2017 $2,470,000 Year to Date 2017 $3,409,000 Year to Date 2016 $4,925,000

City of Fort St John

BUILDING PERMITS Regional Building Permits

The value of building permits issued by regions in the province was up 5.0% (unadjusted) in January, compared to the same month last year, with increased activity in most regions. Mainland/Southwest (+0.3%) posted a modest increase, but the value of planned construction in other parts of the province increased at double- and even triple-digit rates. The biggest spike was in Northeast, where permits soared 194.5% to $5.1 million, up from $1.7 million in January 2016. The boost was largely due to planned spending on industrial and commercial buildings. Nechako (+68.1%), North Coast (+65.5%) and Vancouver Island/Coast (+45.4%) also posted big increases, while planned spending in Mainland/Southwest (+18.4%) and Kootenay (+38.5%) rose at a slower pace. Data Source: Statistics Canada (Regional data produced by BC Stats from unpublished data)

BC Stats Infoline

HIGHWAY 97 SAFETY FUNDS The Province of British Columbia has announced up to $40

million in joint funding to upgrade a stretch of Highway 97 that is prone to accidents and landslides.

The project involves the continuation of four lanes at the middle section of South Taylor Hill, 20 kilometres south of Fort St John.

In addition, the project will include grade and alignment improvements and extensive stabilization work to reduce the risk of slides and subsequent road closures.

New wider, paved shoulders and painted medians are also planned.

The Government of Canada will contribute up to $15 million through the Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure -- National and Regional Projects program.

The Province of British Columbia will contribute up to $25 million.

Journal of Commerce

March 2017

Construction

HOT-IN-PLACE RECYCLING

Highway 2 Alberta Border to Wallis Road and Highway 97 Kiskatinaw Bridge to South Taylor Hill (86.0 km)

Hot-In-Place Recycling of 86 km in the South Peace District. Sites are located on H2 from Alberta Border to Wallis Rd. and on H97 Kiskatinaw Bridge to South Taylor Hill. LOW BID

Peter’s Bros Construction Ltd 716 Okanagan Avenue East Penticton BC V2A 3K6 Phone: 250-492-2626 Fax: 250-493-4464 $4,632,211

Journal of Commerce

INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS

Alaska Highway 97 and Montney Highway (Road 254), Montney

Construction of auxiliary lanes including left turn lanes and deceleration lanes.

AWARD Brocor Construction Ltd 2537 Water Plant Road Dawson Creek BC V1G 4H4 Phone: 250-782-3404 Fax: 250-782-3408 $2,331,219

Journal of Commerce

CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS

100 Street, Fort St. John The work to be undertaken generally consists of,

but is not limited to, the following: 4 lane reconstruction of 100th Street from

110th to 112th Avenue including traffic signal, LED street lighting, storm sewer, multiuse trail and landscaping.

Approximate quantities are: 6400m2 roadway reconstruction, 850 lm of curb and gutter, 350 lm of storm main, 350 lm multi use trail.

TENDERS DUE Journal of Commerce

GOVERNORS GM Shrum Generating Station, Hudson's Hope

Installation of retrofit governor equipment, as supplied by L&S Electric of Canada, Inc. pursuant to RFP 5792, for Units 9 and 10 and, at BC Hydro's option, Units 6 to 8 at GM Shrum Generating Station (GMS), located near Hudson's Hope, B.C. The Contract is also intended to include an option for BC Hydro to award additional Work (involving installation of L&S retrofit governor equipment for other GMS Units or at other sites) to the successful Proponent, over a period of up to 8 years from Contract execution as contemplated in SGC1 of the form of Contract included with this RFP.

$100,000 estimated construction cost. TENDERS CLOSED

Journal of Commerce

March 2017

Construction

MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT

OUTFALL RELOCATION Fort Nelson

The works consist of: Installation of approximately 1300 m of 600 mm diameter PVC sanitary line. Installation of approximately 1100 m of 600 mm diameter HDPE sanitary line, 635 m of which to be installed by horizontal directionally drilling. Installation of approximately 29 sanitary manholes. Installation of approximately 115 m of 1067 mm diameter of augured steel casing pipe. Installation of approximately 140 m of 250 mm diameter PVC water main. Installation of ‘in-river’ diffuser system, complete with coffer dam sheet pile structure. Tie-in to waste water treatment plant. Installation of approximately 30 m of 2.4 m x 1.2 m precast concrete box culvert. Associated site works and cast-in-place/precast concrete structures. TENDERS DUE

Journal of Commerce

WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT

UPGRADES Hudson's Hope, BC

The work generally consists of: An influent forcemain; A blower facility; Site piping and control structures; Two lined aerated lagoons; Fine bubble diffuser aeration system; and Four rapid infiltration basins.

TENDERS DUE Journal of Commerce

ROOFING

Ecole Frank Ross Elementary School, 1000 92 Ave, Dawson Creek

Roof Replacement. TENDERS DUE

Journal of Commerce

ROOFING

Hudson's Hope School, 10441 Holland St., Hudson's Hope

Roof replacement. TENDERS DUE

Journal of Commerce

SIDEWALK & STREET LIGHTING

IMPROVEMENTS Multiple Locations, Fort St John

The work to be undertaken generally consists of, but is not limited to, the following Installation of Pedestrian controlled LED crosswalk signal. Installation of approximately 600 lm of sidewalk and LED streetlights on existing roadways. TENDERS DUE

Journal of Commerce

OFFICE COMPLEX Fort Nelson Generating Station, Fort Nelson

The project comprises the construction of a modular office complex to replace the existing admin/control building on site. To address safety concerns related to a vapour gas explosion at the neighbouring gas processing facility, the building will be designed, manufactured, and anchored to withstand an overpressure event. The new building will be a two-story modular structure with a 599 m2 footprint and 1,198m2 of gross floor area. The facility will be designed to meet a LEED Gold equivalency, with an expected life of 50 years. TENDERS DUE

Journal of Commerce

March 2017

Construction

WINDOWS Dawson Creek Regional Airport Terminal, 80 Vic Turner Airport Rd, Dawson Creek

South window replacement. TENDERS DUE

Journal of Commerce

CANOPY & SIDEWALK Dawson Creek Regional Airport, 80 Vic Turner Airport Rd, Dawson Creek

Repair and replacement of the Dawson Creek Regional Airport Terminal sidewalks and supply and installation of walkway covers. TENDERS DUE

Journal of Commerce

ELECTRICAL POWER SUPPLY

Fort Nelson Secondary School, 5419 Simpson Trail, Fort Nelson

New Electrical Power Supply. TENDERS DUE

Journal of Commerce

STREET RECONSTRUCTION

98 Street, Taylor The work to be undertaken generally consists of,

but is not limited to, the following: Reconstruction of approximately 650 m of 9 m wide residential road c/w 1.5 m sidewalk, curb and gutter. TENDERS DUE

Journal of Commerce

THUNDER MOUNTAIN WIND PROJECT

18 Km SE of Tumbler Ridge Construction of a wind farm with a total

generating capacity of 320 MW; depending upon the type of turbine in the final selection, there will be between 150-200 turbines on rock or concrete foundations; also a related 230 kV transmission line 50 Km in length. CONCEPTUAL

Journal of Commerce

HACKNEY HILLS WIND PARK

100 km NW of Fort St John Construction of a wind farm with a total

generating capacity of 380 MW; depending upon the type of turbine in the final selection, there will be 100+ turbines on rock or concrete foundations; also a 230 kV related transmission line between 40-70 km in length. CONCEPTUAL

Journal of Commerce

ST MARTIN'S ANGLICAN CHURCH

8907 112 Ave, Fort St John Construction of a new community church.

DESIGN Journal of Commerce

THUNDER MOUNTAIN SOUTH

45 Km SE of Tumbler Ridge Construction of a wind farm with a total

generating capacity of 300 MW. CONCEPTUAL

Journal of Commerce

March 2017

BC LAND SALE

Energy & Mines

2017

Sale Date Bonus ($) Average

Price / Hectare

January $39,621,805 $5,103.00

February $3,690,533 $451.33

2017 Total $48,137,956 $1,993.95

March $4,825,618 $588.42

By Richard Macedo BC collected $61.23 million in bonus bids for its 2016/2017 fiscal

year, a strong rebound after a record low $15.93 million for 2015/2016.

The current fiscal year ends on March 31, 2017 -- BC holds one sale a month so the March 22 auction was the final one for the province's fiscal year.

The rebound was driven by a strong final fiscal quarter, largely helped by the January sale of $39.62 million.

From January-March 2017, the government has collected $48.14 million on 24,142 hectares at an average price of $1,993.95. To the same point of 2016, industry had paid $2.1 million for 8,652 hectares at an average price of $242.56.

On Mar. 22, 2017, 12 parcels were sold covering 8,201 hectares, with an average price of $588.42 per hectare on bonus bids of $4.83 million.

The highest value parcel in the sale was a drilling license in the Sundown - Bissette Creek area, approximately 30 kilometres southwest of Dawson Creek. This parcel, picked up by Scott Land & Lease Ltd., earned over $2.27 million in tender bonus at an average price of $2,589.97 per hectare.


Land Sale Annual History

Year Bonus ($) Average Price /

Hectare

2007 $1.05 billion $1,758

2008 $2.66 billion $3,518

2009 $892.9 million $2,291

2010 $844.4 million $2,215

2011 $222.68 million $1,162.66

2012 $139.26 million $1,020.08

2013 $224.68 million $1,886.60

2014 $382.79 million $2,574.17

2015 $18.36 million $295.13

2016 $15,190,019 $157.22

March 2017

Energy & Mines

By Richard Macedo The Alberta government attracted $9.82 million in bonus bids at

its first March land sale, including $673,309 paid to acquire 7,017.6 hectares of oilsands acreage.

The industry acquired 53,820 hectares at the March 8 sale at an average price of $182.52.

Highlights of the sale included a $1.21 million bid by Britt Resources Ltd. The broker picked up a couple of sections at an average price of $1,578.26.

Also at the sale, The Soo Line Resource Group Ltd. acquired a lease in for $538,112 at an average of $1,051.00.

The Alberta government on March 22nd attracted $19.89 million in bonus bids at its land sale on 61,198 hectares at an average price of $325.05, powered by a license that was sold for over $10 million.

Year-do-date, the province has attracted $82.72 million on 290,786 hectares at an average of $284.49.

The $10.77-million parcel sold to Antelope Land Services Ltd. for an average price of $3,506.40.

Also, Scott Land & Lease Ltd. acquired the rights to a parcel for $1.49 million, paying an average of $1,458.23.


ALBERTA SALES

2017

Sale Date Bonus ($) Average

Price / Hectare

January 11 $12,725,037 $192.55

January 25 $5,216,812 $229.64

2017 Total $82,724,863 $284.49

February 08 $35,067,580 $403.24

March 08 $9,823,122 $185.84

March 22 $19,892,312 $325.05

Land Sale Annual History

Year Bonus ($) Average

Price / Hectare

2007 $1,360,413,583.19 $452.47

2008 $1,228,520,837.80 $333.58

2009 $741,673,011.95 $402.63

2010 $2,414,581,311.83 $606.13

2011 $3,641,012,381.26 $790.33

2012 $1,120,780,950.83 $354.85

2013 $698,321,632.93 $306.56

2014 $494,025,614.35 $453.46

2015 $298,739,730.19 $184.93

2016 $148,563,229.17 $149.07

By Richard Macedo Thanks to a surge in its final fiscal quarter of 2016/2017, the

Alberta government was able to nearly pull even with land spending from the previous year.

For 2016/2017, the province collected $203.01 million on 1.03 million hectares at an average of $196.59. For 2015/2016, industry spent $205.52 million for 1.34 million hectares at an average of $153.32.

A surge of spending in the fiscal fourth quarter (January-March 2017) of $82.72 million helped narrow the gap year-on-year. For the first nine months of the fiscal year, the province collected $120.29 million in bonus bids on 741,895 hectares at an average of $162.14.


ALBERTA FISCAL YEAR LAND SALES

March 2017

By Carter Haydu Winter drilling season traditionally equates to a

spike in activity in January and February activity, but the number of non-oilsands wells licensed or spud in Western Canada so far in 2017 is greatly exceeding activity in the first two months of last year.

There were 814 wells rig released in the Foothills Front (AB2) zone last year, where Peyto Exploration & Development Corp. was top operator -- a 24.7-per-cent decrease from 2015. For the year ended Dec. 31, 2016, there were 1,262 licenses issued in this PSAC zone, or 151 fewer licenses than were issued in full-year 2015.

In January-February 2017, there were 319 wells rig released in this zone, which totals 138 more wells rig released compared to during the same period a year ago. Also, there were 329 licenses issued in January-February 2017, which is 163 more than during the same timeframe last year. The Foothills Front zone saw 1.44 million metres drilled in January-February 2017, compared to 838,478 metres drilled in the zone during the same 2016 timeframe.

Northwestern Alberta (AB7) has also seen a big percentage increase in year-over-year rig-released well counts. The 110 wells rig released during the first two months of 2017 represent a 156 per cent increase from the same period last year.

However, the zone saw a 39-per-cent drop to 184 total wells rig released in all of 2016 when compared to 2015. Penn West Petroleum Ltd. was top operator last year for this particular PSAC zone. In regards to licenses issued last year for this zone, there were 344 (compared to 465 in 2015). For January-February 2017, there were 61 licenses issued for the Northwestern Alberta zone (compared to 59 a year ago).

Spirit River activity appears stable in terms of the number of wells and percentage of wells targeting these zones.

Northern British Columbia (BC2) saw 481,353 metres drilled in January-February 2017, compared to 369,198 metres drilled in the year-prior period. There were 116 rig releases in this zone for January-February 2017, which is up 27 per cent from the same period last year. For full-year 2016, Northern BC saw 342 rig releases, which is 37-per-cent less than in 2015.


WELLS LICENSED OR SPUD, 2017

Energy & Mines

March 2017

A division of the Shell Group will end development of the Prince Rupert LNG project, originally proposed for Ridley Island at the Port of Prince Rupert, British Columbia.

BG International Limited, a member of the Shell Group since being acquired last year, said it would discontinue work on the project.

The Prince Rupert project was part of Shell's global portfolio review of combined assets, which resulted in the decision to discontinue work on the project. During the review, Shell said the local Prince Rupert project team "continued to engage locally and to support environmental initiatives and social investment activities in the area." The Prince Rupert office will remain open through May 2017 to complete community engagement, Shell said.

Shell, however, remains a joint venture partner in another West Coast LNG project, LNG Canada, proposed for Kitimat, British Columbia. In that project, Shell holds a 50 per cent stake, with joint venture partners PetroChina (20 per cent), KOGAS (15 per cent) and Mitsubishi Corporation (15 per cent).

LNG Canada continues to be "actively progressed" by Shell and its joint venture partners as an opportunity to bring Canadian gas to growing global gas markets, Shell Canada said. While a final investment decision (FID) on the project was originally scheduled for last year, it was indefinitely delayed.


PRINCE RUPERT LNG

Energy & Mines

NOVA Gas Transmission Ltd. expects to start work in April on its $439 million Towerbirch expansion project which received federal government approval, subject to 24 conditions.

The Towerbirch pipeline facilities, which will transport gas from the Montney in British Columbia to North American markets, are expected to be in service in the fourth quarter of 2017.

The project will create up to 750 jobs during construction, address the need for increased natural gas transmission capacity along the existing NGTL system and support economic growth, said the government in announcing the approval.

The Towerbirch expansion includes the construction and operation of approximately 87 kilometres of new natural gas pipeline and associated facilities, consisting of the Tower Lake Section (roughly 32 kilometres of 30-inch pipeline) and the Groundbirch Mainline Loop (approximately 55 kilometres of 36-inch pipe). Approximately 82 per cent of the project will parallel existing rights-of-way or existing disturbances, and 89 per cent will be located on private land.

NGTL's planned in-service date for the pipeline components of the project is Nov. 1, 2017, along with the Groundbirch East receipt expansion and the Tower Lake receipt station. Three additional receipt meter stations will come into service over the following year.


NGTL TOWERBIRCH EXPANSION

March 2017

By Stephen Marsters New well permitting over the first two months of the year is at a three-year high, according to Daily Oil

Bulletin records, powered by big year-over-year increase in Saskatchewan licenses. To the end of February, 1,670 wells have been authorized compared to 799 in the first two months of 2016

(an increase of 109 per cent), and 1,454 wells in 2015. Overall, operators across Canada licensed 684 wells in February compared to 264 a year ago. Saskatchewan licensed 268 wells last month compared to 111 in February 2016. In the first two months of

2017 the province has permitted 747 wells versus 250 a year ago (up 199 per cent). Records show 398 wells were licensed in Alberta in February 2017 compared to 131 a year ago. In the

January-February period, the license count stands at 857, up 86 per cent from 460 in the first two months of 2016.

Gas-prone British Columbia approved 63 new licenses last month, up from 15 permits the previous year. Over the first two months of the year, the province has approved 92 licenses compared to 58 a year ago (an increase of 59 per cent).

Permitting levels in Manitoba lifted to 18 in February 2017 from five wells licensed last February. The two-month tally has increased 25 per cent to 35 from 28 in 2016.

Operators licensed 1,146 wells targeting oil or bitumen in Western Canada in the January-February period (last year: 400), compared to 259 gas or CBM targets (last year, also 259).

Producers licensed 536 horizontal wells last month, with 1,303 horizontal wells permitted over the first two months of the year -- up from 599 horizontal wells permitted over last year's January-February period.

Operators licensed 47 oilsands evaluation wells last month, up from 20 last year. Over the first two months of the year, 64 oilsands evaluation wells have been authorized compared to 57 in 2016.

The top five licensees of new wells in February, excluding experimental holes, were: Crescent Point Energy Corp. (63), Tourmaline Oil Corp. (38), Canadian Natural Resources Limited (33), Teine Energy Ltd. (32), and Torc Oil & Gas Ltd. (27).

Including experimental wells, the top licensees last month were: Crescent Point (63), Tourmaline (38), Fort Hills Energy Corporation (36), Canadian Natural (35) and Teine (32).


LICENSE COUNT TO END OF FEBRUARY

By Paul Wells Trican Well Service Ltd. is about to get a lot bigger while competition in the western Canadian pressure

pumping sector contracts after the company announced its acquisition of Canyon Services Group Inc. in a deal valued at $637 million.

With industry conditions slowly improving in Western Canada, and with larger and more complex frac jobs becoming the norm, Dale Dusterhoft, Trican's president and CEO, said the timing was perfect to enact the deal and create a larger more prolific entity.

The combined company will boast 675,000 hydraulic horsepower of available fracturing capacity, a leading footprint of service bases across Western Canada and a complementary suite of products and services across cementing, coiled tubing, nitrogen, industrial services and fluid management.


TRICAN BUYS CANYON

March 2017

Energy & Mines

By Stephen Marsters Bulletin records show there were 854 wells rig released in February, excluding experimental holes, compared

to 435 in February 2016, an increase of 96 per cent. The two-month total for this year is up 81 per cent to 1,673 wells rig released versus 925 wells in January-

February 2016. There was also in increase in total metres drilled over the first two months of the year. Operators finished

4.37 million metres of hole (excluding experimental wells), an increase of about 78 per cent from 2.46 million metres in the comparable period last year.

In Alberta, 434 wells were rig released in February compared to 201 in 2016 (up 116 per cent). Over the first two months, 859 wells were rig released, up 102 per cent from 426 in January-February 2016.

There were 553 wells rig released in Alberta in January-February 2017 with oil (421) or bitumen (132) as an objective, compared to 173 wells rig released last year with oil (114) or bitumen (59) as an objective.

There were 249 wells rig released in Alberta with gas or CBM as an objective over the first two months of the year compared to 160 in 2016.

A total of 2.53 million metres were drilled in Alberta to the end of February, up 106 per cent from 1.23 million metres in the comparable period a year ago.

Operators working in Saskatchewan rig released 323 wells in February compared to 164 drilled in February 2016, and bringing the two-month tally to 624 wells, up 71 per cent from 364 wells in last year's January-February period.

In Saskatchewan, 553 of the wells rig released to the end of February had oil as an objective, up from 352 last year. No gas wells were rig released in the first two months of 2016 or 2017.

Producers drilled 1.21 million metres of hole in Saskatchewan to the end of February compared to 749,673 metres a year ago (up 62 per cent).

In British Columbia, operators drilled 61 wells in February compared to 50 a year ago (up 22 per cent). Over the first two months of 2017, there have been 117 wells rig released in the province, an increase of 29 per cent from 91 wells drilled in the comparable period in 2016.

BC operators rig released 485,791 metres to the end of February, compared with 357,341 metres a year ago (up 36 per cent).

Manitoba saw a 71 per cent decrease in rig releases to the end of February, as 70 wells were drilled versus 41 a year ago. For February, 35 wells were drilled in the province compared to 19 in February 2016 (up 84 per cent). Producers in the province drilled 129,467 metres in January-February 2017 compared to 77,435 metres a year ago (up 67 per cent).

Many of the wells drilled last year are still under confidential status, but 82.67 per cent were listed as oil or bitumen wells. That compared to 59.52 per cent listed as oil or bitumen wells in 2016.

Meanwhile, 12.38 per cent of the wells with a reporting status were listed as gas wells, down from 24.04 per cent in 2016.

In Western and Northern Canada, 4.36 million metres of development and experimental hole were drilled to the end of February, up from 2.46 million metres last year. The total average length of wells rig released in Western and Northern Canada declined slightly to 2,604 metres over the January-February period compared to 2,613 metres last year.


WELLS RIG RELEASED

March 2017

Energy & Mines

By Pat Roche Cenovus Energy Inc.'s deal to buy oilsands and Deep Basin assets from ConocoPhillips Company ranks as

one of the biggest transactions in Canadian oil and gas history. Calgary-based Cenovus has agreed to pay $17.7 billion for the Houston-based producer's 50 per cent stake

in the Foster Creek/Christina Lake oilsands assets and the majority of ConocoPhillips's Deep Basin properties in Alberta and British Columbia.

To put this deal in perspective, the 2002 merger of PanCanadian Petroleum Limited and AlbertaEnergy Company Ltd. that created Encana Corporation (from which Cenovus was later spun off) was only $15.9 billion, according to Sayer Energy Advisors data.

Only three merger and acquisition transactions were bigger in the nearly 30 years Sayer Energy Advisors has been compiling statistics, said Sayer president Alan Tambosso.

The three bigger deals are the 2009 Suncor Energy Inc. acquisition of Petro-Canada ($27.7 billion), CNOOC Limited's 2012 takeover of Nexen Inc. ($22.8 billion) and Repsol S.A.'s 2014 purchase of Talisman Energy Inc. ($18.1 billion).

The deal comes on the heels of another huge vote of confidence in the oilsands by a Canadian producer. On March 9, Canadian Natural Resources Limited agreed to pay $12.7 billion to buy oilsands assets and

related infrastructure from Royal Dutch Shell plc and Marathon Oil Corporation. CNRL's blockbuster deal is expected to close in mid-2017. It will push CNRL, already the biggest oil and gas

producer in Canada by boe, over the million-boe-a-day threshold. No other Canadian producer has even come close to that major milestone.

This will make Cenovus Canada's biggest thermal oil operator by a wide margin. In second place is Imperial Oil Limited whose Cold Lake thermal bitumen production averaged 159,000 bbls a day in the fourth quarter of 2016. (Imperial may also have some thermal production from small-scale projects.)

Acquiring full interest in FCCL will transform Canada's largest SAGD operator into the country's largest SAGD owner.


CENOVUS-CONOCOPHILLIPS DEAL

WELLS RIG RELEASED

Rig release counts, including experimental wells Operators drilled 2,076 wells to the end of February, including experimental wells, an increase of 48 per cent

from 1,402 wells rig released in the year-prior period. In February, producers drilled 1,066 wells, including experimental holes, up 55 per cent from 688 a year ago. There were 941 wells rig released in Alberta in January-February 2017 with oil (422) or bitumen (519) as an

objective, compared to 601 wells rig released last year with oil (114) or bitumen (487) as an objective. JuneWarren-Nickle's Energy Group


March 2017

Company # of Rigs

Akita Drilling Ltd 2

Canelson Drilling Inc

Ensign Energy Services Inc 2

Horizon Drilling Inc 7

Ironhand Drilling Inc.

Jomax Drilling (1998) Ltd

Nabors Drilling Ltd 1

Patterson-UTI Drilling Co Canada 1

Precision Drilling Co 14

Savanna Energy Services Ltd 1

Trinidad Drilling Ltd 8

Beaver Drilling

Excalibur Drilling

Energy & Mines

http://www.bcogc.ca/

ACTIVE OIL RIGS — PEACE LIARD Northeastern BC rig activity as of March 21, 2017: Spud/Drilling: 23 Suspended: 20 Resumed/Drilling: 5 Released: 15

Spud/Drilling Suspended Resumed/Drilling Released

2017 18 36 10 10

2016 17 76 14 11

MARCH

http://www.bcogc.ca/

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