Brian Gallant says Energy East Pipeline would benefit Quebec

New Brunswick Premier Brian Gallant says Quebec would get about 4,000 jobs and $700 million in extra tax revenue from the Energy East Pipeline project.

He made the comments on Wednesday, in response to comments by theQuebec premier earlier this week.

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillardtold The Associated Press on Tuesday thathe didn't see much economic value forhis province inbeing a "transit place" for TransCanada Corp.'sproposed pipeline, which would carry crude oil from western Canada to refineries on the Atlantic coast.

But Quebec's benefits would be double those of New Brunswick in some areas, according to the estimates provided by Gallant.

It's going to be our role, myself and others who support this project and want to see this investment be made, to show NewBrunswickers, to showQuebecers, to show Canadians across the country, that there are benefits for all of us.- Brian Gallant, New Brunswickpremier

"The province of Quebec is being estimated to receive, over the seven years of the beginning of the project, about 4,000 jobs created," said Gallant.

"We see an increase of about $3 billion in the GDP and on top of that, about $700 million in extra tax revenue for the province of Quebec. This is clear benefits that I think would help their province."

According to the estimations Gallant gave, New Brunswick would receive similar benefits, just not as much.

"We would see a GDP increase of $1.5 billion over the first seven years of the project. We would see about 2,000 jobs created for New Brunswick, and you would see about $300 millionin tax revenue for the province over that span," he said.

Gallant says the benefits don't just go for the individual provinces. He feels the Energy East Pipeline would be a benefit for the entire country.

"It's going to be our role, myself and others who support this project and want to see this investment be made, to show New Brunswickers, to show Quebecers, to show Canadians across the country, that there are benefits for all of us," he said.

Gallant will be meeting with Couillard and the rest of Canada's premiers at the Council of the Federation meeting in St. John'sJuly 14-18.

The Quebec government has imposed a number of conditions on TransCanadaCorp.for it to accept the $12-billionproject. One of the conditions is that the project generate economic benefits for Quebec.

The proposed 4,600-kilometre pipeline would carry 1.1 million barrels a day of oilsands crude from western Canada to refineries in Quebec and New Brunswick. It would terminate at Irving Oil's Canaport facility, which is located at the entrance to Saint John Harbour.

Its completion date has been pushed back by two years to 2020 after TransCanadaCorp. abandoned plans for a terminal inCacouna, Que.

The decision followed a recommendation that the status of beluga whales, which are found in the St. Lawrence River, be changed to endangered.