Lessons from the development of northeast coal in British Columbia

This involved the co-ordination of all the components of a three billion dollar coal development including securing the sales agreements, organizing the mines, the new town of Tumbler Ridge, the connecting infrastructure and services, and a new port. [...] Bill Bennett was the premier of the province at the time and together they decided that it was time to open up Northeast Coal to grow both the provincial as well as regional economies. [...] The BC government, including Don Phillips, the premier, and the cabinet made the decision to move forward with the Northeast Coal project. [...] The first was marketing; the second was liaison with the coal companies, the government, and associated private sector interests to put together the infrastructure development plan; and the third was putting together the transportation plans. [...] My job was about connecting the product to the customer and thus building the solid foundations for the undertaking.