Our History
BUILDING B.C. SINCE 1931
Since 1931, IUOE Local 115 has helped to build some of the most important dams and infrastructure in BC, serving all British Columbians in their day-to-day lives. Our slogan, “rise above”, refers to our 14,000+ members who work in high-altitude or high-risk environments, including mechanics, road builders, crane and heavy equipment operators, and dam builders. Operating Engineers also help to protect BC’s communities. We are the aerial firefighters who risk their lives fighting wildfires across the province.
CLASSIC EXCAVATOR
STANDING UP
FOR WORKING PEOPLE
“Rise above” also describes Local 115’s approach to the protection, compensation, and empowerment of workers. In support of IUOE members and working people across BC, we have a long history of:
- Promoting fair wages and fair treatment
- Challenging unfair labour practice
- Advocating for better laws that govern employment standards, safety and training
These efforts make a difference.
Over many years, IUOE Local 115 and our sister building trades unions have helped to shape the laws that govern employment standards, safety, and training.
For example, in the mid-2000s the BC Liberal government came close to abolishing licensing and performance standards for crane operators. Cranes are complex machines, and an untrained crane operator can put other workers and the public at risk. Local 115 conducted a campaign that resulted in a new testing and licensing system. Find out the whole story; watch Crane Certification in BC.
In 2012, the number of temporary foreign workers coming into Canada was increasing rapidly. IUOE Local 115 and the Labourers’ International took legal action to challenge HD Mining’s plan to bring 200 Chinese miners into Canada. To find out how this campaign helped to bring about an overhaul of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program, watch HD Mining: IUOE Local 115 in Court.
More information on the history of IUOE Local 115 can be found in the book, Firing Iron.
PROJECTS
FROM ROADS
TO DAMS
IUOE Local 115 members have built the infrastructure British Columbians use every day of their lives. The following are just a few of the major projects built by IUOE Local 115 members.
TOTAL dispatches 1,443
Spread 7A (212), 6 (579), 4B (652)
At the time of the project awarded by Kinder Morgan, no unionized labour was involved, and none of the 987-kilometre Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline was being built with Canadian unionized labour.
IUOE Local 115, under the leadership of then Business Manager Brian Cochrane and the Canadian Office of the Operating Engineers, aggressively lobbied the federal government to advocate for unionized construction work and Operating Engineers (OEs) on what would become Canada’s most significant energy infrastructure project in more than half a century. Their efforts paid off when the Trudeau Liberal government awarded portions of the pipeline project to unionized workers, ensuring Canadian labour was prioritized.
Through partnerships with long-time Local 115 signatory contractors Bannister and Michels Canada Company, IUOE Local 115 secured 30% (1,443 dispatches) of the BC portion of the pipeline. This collaboration provided employment for many OEs and contributed directly to the completion of this landmark project. Spreads 7A, 6, and 4B of the TMX Expansion exemplify Local 115’s commitment to building Canada’s critical infrastructure.
Since coming online in May 2024, the TMX Expansion has nearly tripled its capacity, increasing oil shipment volumes from 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 890,000 bpd, marking a significant milestone for Canada’s energy sector and for unionized labour in the construction industry.
TOTAL dispatches 5,277
The Coastal GasLink (CGL) pipeline is a 670-kilometre, 48-inch pipeline that stretches from Dawson Creek to Kitimat, British Columbia. This critical infrastructure project is designed to transport natural gas to LNG Canada’s export facility in Kitimat, enabling Canada to ship liquefied natural gas to international customers across the Pacific. When operational, Coastal GasLink will move close to 5 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) of natural gas. The project provided some great working hours for Operating Engineers and apprentices. LNG Canada Phase 1, is set to begin production in 2025 and will consume approximately 2 bcf/d of this capacity. There is strong optimism for Phase 2 of LNG Canada, which would double output capacity for overseas markets, further solidifying Canada’s role as a major player in the global energy market.
TOTAL dispatches 2,035
The project was completed in 2024 and began receiving LNG from the Coastal GasLink Pipeline in 2025. This was one of those rare projects that an entire country depends on so our members worked through all conditions and straight through the holidays. It was the biggest private investment for Canada ever, and helped to employ the membership along with more than 10,000 other working-class jobs during its construction phase from 2019-2024.
Both the Coastal GasLink Pipeline and LNG Canada Terminal are the cornerstone in the development of sustainable energy solutions for Canada’s economy, supporting energy exports while contributing to local and international energy needs.
TOTAL dispatches 1,025
The Site C Dam reached its peak workforce in 2023, with 253 Operating Engineers on site. In total throughout the project, 1,025 dispatches were filled. Workers were dispatched to three signatory companies throughout the lifespan of the project, including AFDE, Priority Action JV, and Voith. Workers with Priority Action Joint Ventures poured 990,000m³ of concrete to complete the dam, ensuring hydroelectric power for the next 100 years, supplying electricity to 450,000 homes annually.
British Columbia’s infrastructure model has successfully prioritized local, unionized labour under the Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) and Project Labour Agreement (PLA) framework, which has improved working conditions for workers on major infrastructure projects. These models ensure fair wages, benefits, and training while fostering diversity by opening opportunities for women, Indigenous people, and underrepresented groups. As of 2025, IUOE Local 115 members continue to work on critical public infrastructure projects in BC, totalling more than 1 million hours spent on more than 12 projects. These projects include the Broadway Subway Expansion, the Surrey-Langley Skytrain, the Highway Reinstatement Program (Highways 1, 5, and 8), the Highway 1 Fraser Valley Corridor Improvements, the Highway 1-Four Laning Kamloops to Alberta, the Pattullo Bridge, and many others throughout the province. To date, more than 1,000 IUOE members have worked on major infrastructure projects through the CBA and PLA models.
The $900 million Waneta Expansion added a second powerhouse downstream from the Waneta Dam on the Pend Oreille River, near Trail, BC. Construction took place between 2010 and 2015. IUOE Local 115 was pleased to play a big part in the job.
Ownership of the project was a joint venture of Fortis Inc., Columbia Power, and the Columbia Basin Trust. Like many other successful Operating Engineers projects over the decades, the Waneta Expansion was subject to a project labour agreement with the Allied Hydro Council of unions. Almost 70% of the construction employees came from within 100 kilometres of the site, creating a legacy of skills, work experience, and small business development for the Central Kootenay region.
British Columbia coal feeds the steel mills of Pacific Rim nations, such as Korea, Japan, and China. In recent years, global coal shipments have accounted for as much as 20% of the total value of BC exports. The Operating Engineers have played a critical role in the development and continued expansion of coal mining in the East Kootenay region.
Natural gas production in British Columbia dates back to the 1940s. Today, the province produces 35% of Canada’s marketable natural gas, or approximately 5.38 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day.
Operating Engineers play a leading part in constructing the pipelines that carry our natural gas to market. We clear and prepare rights-of-way, access roads, and storage yards, often in rugged conditions; we dig and backfill the pipeline trenches; and we transport and lay down pipe.
All these jobs need to be done right, for the long-term safety of pipeline maintenance workers and the public. IUOE Local 115 advocates for the use of qualified, experienced labour on all natural gas and oil pipeline projects. It is safe, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible for pipeline contractors to employ the highly skilled members of BC and Canadian pipeline unions.
The Golden Ears Bridge, opened in 2009, created a new connection across the Fraser River. It carries traffic between BC’s Highway 7 on the north side and the Trans-Canada Highway to the south. The bridge supports the movement of goods and provides access to work, health care, shopping, and tourist attractions.
IUOE Local 115 members drove the bridge foundations deep into the river bed. They worked the cranes that lifted pier and deck elements into place and took part in building the project roadways.
The next time you’re enjoying an event at BC Place, look up. BC Place Stadium’s roof is one of Vancouver’s most iconic structures, featured on postcards, advertisements and recognized world-wide. That stunning retractable roof was built by IUOE Local 115 members in 2011.
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