Flooding from two major storms impacted about 1.2 million people in Mexico and contributed to more than 100 deaths. (Photo credit: La Cruz Roja Mexicana)

TransCanada is stepping up to help victims of Hurricane Ingrid and Tropical Storm Manuel in Mexico, while simultaneously dealing with flood-related damage that has temporarily shut down a section of our Guadalajara Pipeline.

More than 100 deaths have been attributed to the storms, which packed a double punch across the country earlier this month. Twenty-four out of 32 states in Mexico reported damage from the storms, causing severe devastation in 371 municipalities nationwide. The Mexican National Red Cross put the number of victims at 1.2 million.

TransCanada employees and contractors did not report any major personal or property losses, but many others were not so fortunate.

In addition to a $25,000 donation to the Mexican Red Cross, TransCanada is also donating approximately $28,000 to provide 800 food baskets for people who live near the Mazatlan Project in the Palmitas, El Potrero de Los Sanchez and El Quelite communities that were significantly affected by the hurricane.

Making a difference in our communities

“Many of the communities near our pipelines suffered devastating losses,” says Lorena Patterson, director of stakeholder relations for TransCanada in Mexico. “Making a difference in the neighborhoods where we live and work is an important TransCanada value. These donations are a first step in our efforts to help the victims of this terrible tragedy. We know there is a lot more work to be done and we are committed to helping our communities now and in the future as we work to overcome the devastation caused by these recent storms.”

Floods from the storms appear to have damaged a section of the Guadalajara Pipeline that serves an LNG facility on Mexico’s west coast. Residents who live near the pipeline’s crossing at the Naranjos River reported hearing a loud noise to authorities, who contacted Energia Occidente de Mexico S.de R.L. de C.V., the TransCanada affiliate in Mexico that operates the pipeline.

Construction activities to replace the impacted pipe have begun, following approvals from the appropriate regulatory agencies in Mexico. This follows a detailed aerial and ground assessment of the site by teams from the U.S and Mexico and development of a plan to remediate the site, make repairs and return the pipeline to service as soon as possible.

Systems worked as they should

Once the pipeline system detected a drop in pressure on the pipeline, the pipeline valves automatically closed as the system is designed to do. The section of the 30-inch diameter pipeline was isolated and vented and Energia is conducting a full review of the entire Guadalajara Pipeline system.

Emergency response procedures were activated to ensure the protection of the public and the environment. Local emergency responders were in contact with the community.

“Service to our customers on that section of the pipeline continues to be temporarily suspended,” said Richard Torres Jr., Project Manager, U.S. & Mexico Pipeline Maintenance Projects. “We are aware of the significance of this pipeline to provide energy to the region and are committed to returning the pipeline to service as soon as it is safe to do so.”

Help is needed for flood victims

The Guadalajara Pipeline is in the State of Colima, which had approximately 1,600 people evacuated into shelters as water flooded their houses.

Near our Tamazunchale and Tamaz Extension pipeline assets in Veracruz, the number of flood victims in Veracruz reached 33,615 people. The damage to communities near the Mazatlan Pipeline project, where TransCanada is helping to pay for food baskets, also extends beyond infrastructure to ruined crops.

Closer to Mexico City, where TransCanada’s Mexico operations are based, mudslides created safety and transportation hazards. Mud-choked tunnels closed the toll expressway into the city, as well as other roads out of the coast. Flooding also shut down runways at airports, causing widespread flight delays.

Reaching out

TransCanada’s donation will go to the Mexican Red Cross National Relief Fund. For more information about Red Cross donations and how you can help, visit the direct link to Cruz Roja Mexicana, Sede Nacional.

Lisa Singhania is a member of TransCanada’s Internal Communications team.

Magnificent helpers: The Monarch Butterfly is a pollinator that is critical to North America’s ecosystem. TransCanada is proud to work with Pollinator Partnership to help raise awareness and support the Monarch Butterfly on its incredible 3,000-mile (4,828-km) migration journey each year.

When you see the first Monarch butterfly of the season fluttering by, do you ever stop to think how far that magnificent insect has traveled? In fact, it is part of an epic migration that spans a continent and multiple generations. Each year, the great-grandchildren of Monarch butterflies that traveled south to their overwintering grounds in Mexico return north to feed off the summer wildflowers in the United States and Canada. In celebration of North American Pollinator Week, TransCanada is proud to announce our continued support for the conservation of Monarch butterflies.

Incredible journey: Monarch butterflies travel 3,000 miles (4,828 km) each year during their annual migration.

The Monarch butterfly is a pollinator — an animal or insect that moves the pollen that’s crucial to the existence of most plants. Through these interactions with plants, pollinators provide an incredible service to the world. They bring us countless fruits, vegetables and nuts, supply half of the world’s oils, are responsible for producing raw materials and fibers, prevent soil erosion and increase carbon sequestration.

Insect pollinators are critical to ensuring that wildflowers in natural landscapes continue to reproduce. In fact, over 80% of plants can’t make a seed without the help of a pollinator. In agricultural settings, bees are especially important pollinators that support an estimated one third of all our food and beverages contributing to $20-billion worth of products every year in the U.S.

“It is essential that organizations like TransCanada get involved in pollinator conservation to help set an industry precedent for pollinator-friendly right of way reclamation.”
— Vicki Wojcik, Research Director at Pollinator Partnership

Monarchs and other pollinators are important contributors to the livelihoods and cultures of landowners in the communities across Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, where TransCanada does business. Humans can’t easily recreate the process of pollination for large crops and natural landscapes so the existence of pollinators is crucial.

Luckily, organizations such as Pollinator Partnership (P2) — the largest organization in the world exclusively dedicating to saving pollinators — are working hard to conserve these important species and keep our ecosystems thriving.

“We are already seeing a drastic decline in pollinator populations in North American — Monarch numbers have dropped by over 90 percent in some areas and that is a cause for worry,” says Wojcik.

Appealing blossoms: Pollinators are critical to ensuring that wildflowers in natural landscapes continue to reproduce.

This year, the Monarch crisis was brought to the world’s attention by Presidents of the U.S. and Mexico and Canada’s Prime Minister at the annual North American Leaders’ Summit. These majestic insects have experienced a steady decline over the past two decades and this year the total area occupied by overwintering butterflies in the volcanic mountains of Mexico plunged from 6.7 hectares to a record low of .67 hectares.

“I am proud to say that for three years before the Monarch butterfly appeal at the North American Leader’s Summit, TransCanada was already doing their part to help protect the Monarchs and other pollinators,” says Scott Farris, director, Government Relations, US Pipelines West. “In 2011 we entered into a five-year partnership with P2 and since the inception of the partnership we’ve supported the development and distribution of regional Utility Monarch Planting Guides.”

Scientists have attributed the decrease in Monarch migration to two main causes: loss of breeding habitat and degradation of their overwintering habitat. Both of which are the result of human disruption through agricultural intensification, pesticide use or deforestation.

As part of our Community Investment program, TransCanada is working diligently with P2 between 2014 and 2017 to create an awareness campaign to promote the importance of Monarch and pollinator conservation. The campaign will encourage community members, landowners and businesses to plant Monarch-friendly gardens along the species’ flyways, which include eastern, central and pacific North America.

As one of North America’s leading energy infrastructure companies, TransCanada respects the diversity of the landscapes in which we operate and always consider the environmental aspects of our business activities. Like our partnership with P2, we are actively involved in many conservation efforts across North America.

Reaching new heights: Leading edge construction techniques, including the use of this gondola to transport construction materials up the side of a mountain, are used to build pipelines in Mexico’s most rugged terrain.

While the word gondola conjures images of skier-filled cable cars ascending breathtaking slopes, in the spectacular terrain along TransCanada’s Tamazunchale Extension Pipeline Project, this is not the case. Here, a state-of-the art construction gondola transports tons of steel pipe and construction materials, not people. This gondola technology is helping crews conquer the steep, difficult slope they’ve affectionately dubbed, “Waterloo”.

“It’s not an easy operation, but this is a proven technology around the world in the pipeline construction business.”
— Alejandro Iriarte, TransCanada Project Director, Pipelines, Mexico Projects

Iriarte is overseeing the Tamazunchale Extension, a 230-km (143-mile) natural gas pipeline that traverses some of Mexico’s most mountainous terrain. And this specific location along the route is particularly challenging; it’s extremely rugged and in places rises at a 50-degree angle, making traditional slope installation practices onerous and slow. To surmount the challenging terrain, the project’s engineering procurement construction contractor, GDI SICIM Pipelines (GSP), suggested the use of gondola technology.

Operators control the gondola remotely to safely hoist loads of up to eight tonnes up along the slope. Once the pipe is installed, welded and secured, the cable crane will be used for the final stage of project work, including the installation of geotechnical structures to ensure the pipeline can operate safely and reliably throughout the life of the project.

“Installation using any other option, would have taken significantly longer on this slope and with higher safety hazard exposure,” says Iriarte, who also oversaw the use of microtunneling technology through another difficult section of the Tamazunchale Extension. For that particular section, a microtunnel was suggested by GSP as a more effective option than traditional open-trench or horizontal directional drilling (HDD).

“No other technology would offer the same pipeline integrity as the microtunnel for long-term operations.”
— Andrew Jenkins, TransCanada VP, Mexico Projects

“Construction was subcontracted to I.CO.P, an Italian company experienced at building microtunnels in mountainous terrains,” Jenkins adds.

The tunnel, which runs about 672 metres (734 yards) through a mountain, was drilled using a remote-controlled tunnel-boring machine (TBM) and pipe-jacking system. The TBM advanced through the mountain using a rotating cutting head to carve an eight-foot diameter tunnel through to the other side. Behind the device, concrete liners were jacked into place to maintain the tunnel’s integrity before the pipeline was moved into place.

When the TBM broke through the designated exit location for the microtunnel in late 2013, construction workers and TransCanada employees were on site to celebrate the success of Mexico’s first pipeline microtunnel.

Incredible force: To help satisfy natural gas needs in Mexico, a microtunnel was drilled through a mountain using a remote-controlled, tunnel-boring machine and a rotating cutting head to carve a 2.44-metre (eight-foot) diameter tunnel through to the other side.

“The completed microtunnel will serve to commemorate innovative engineering in areas with steep and unstable slopes, or places where the open-trench technique may be considered unsafe and impractical,” says Iriarte.

Next up for TransCanada is pipeline installation down a cliff along a rugged stretch of the Topolobampo Project, a 530-km (329-mile) natural gas pipeline currently under construction in Mexico. This installation process will utilize vertical-drilling technologies from the mining, exploration and hydroelectricity industries.

“The new technology will use a combination of directional drilling and tunneling,” says Jenkins. “What this involves is drilling a vertical pilot hole from the top of the cliff then excavating a tunnel at the bottom of the mountain to intersect the pilot hole.”

The pilot hole is expanded by pulling a reaming tool up through the vertical hole and using the tool to enlarge the pilot hole to the required diameter. Debris from the drilling process lands in the tunnel and is removed by machinery. This process eliminates the need for drilling fluid necessary in conventional HDD procedures.

While these technologies have been globally tried and tested, their integration is fairly new to TransCanada and could become a more commonly used practice for proposed pipeline projects in the rugged slopes of British Columbia, Canada, such as Coastal GasLink and Prince Rupert Gas Transmission.

“These Mexico projects have directly applicable terrain to the conditions in British Columbia,” says Jenkins, adding that pipelines are the safest way to transport the oil and gas that North America and Mexico needs to meet their daily demand for energy. “There’s no increased risk to the technology we’re using for these pipelines, but it is industry-leading stuff in North America.”

Innovation has always been key to TransCanada’s success, with a track record of more than 60 years dedicated to cutting-edge technological advancement and a history of investment into research and development.

Energizing communities Solar panels recently installed in Mexico are providing power to the area for the first time

Solar panels energize Mexican communities for the first time

TransCanada provides the energy that North American’s use every day. Most of us enjoy our lifestyles of convenience because we haven’t known it to be any other way. We are able to turn our lights on with the flick of a switch.

Some remote communities in Mexico near TransCanada’s El Encino-Topolobampo pipeline project are experiencing power for the first time as a result of local investments made by TransCanada.

The 530 kilometre (330 mile) El Encino Topolobampo pipeline construction project runs through some of the most challenging geography TransCanada has faced on its projects – including monumental mountain ranges and gullies in the famous Sierra Tarahumara.

Some of the indigenous communities along the pipeline route are so remote that that TransCanada used an air crane from Erickson to transport more than 1,000 pipeline segments to the region.

This region is home to some of the poorest and most isolated indigenous communities in Mexico, and where TransCanada has recognized a need for assistance.

TransCanada recently installed solar panels in the remote community of San Elías, an indigenous community of about 100 inhabitants. The investment will provide electricity for at least 25 years to some common areas and facilities such as the local health center and community school.

These facilities also provide services for 200 other nearby residents from smaller and equally remote communities.

In addition to the solar panels in San Elías, furniture and equipment were provided to a local orphanage in Cuauhtemoc which will provide services for 500 kids. The same orphanage was provided with playground equipment in 2014.

“To us, TransCanada’s support was like a big miracle,” said Denver Penner, orphanage administrator, who grew up in Canada but whose parents were born in Mexico.

“It fills me with pride that TransCanada is working with us here in Mexico, not only by creating jobs with the construction of the pipeline, but by also changing the lives of these kids.”

Not only energizing communities with power

Due to the remoteness of the region, it was no shock to discover that residents also lacked some basic necessities.

Recognizing the needs in the area, TransCanada made additional investments to support local communities along the route, including:

• In the community of La Noria, building materials were donated for building a small dam which will supply water to the nearly 1,000 habitants of the community.
• TransCanada organized a reforestation journey in Cuauhtemoc which included planting over 700 trees in a park at the center of town. The park is a popular recreation place for the more than 114,000 habitants of the small city.
• In a town called Creel, TransCanada provided sport uniforms for the local high school’s volleyball team so the students could participate in the state tournament.
• In La Laguna, an investment of $75,000 CDN was made to build a new baseball field, as the previous facility was affected by the pipeline project. Once a second stage is complete, TransCanada will build the stalls so the field can be used as a stadium and events center.

Hollywood dreams become a reality

First time movie goers: more than 200 children were taken to their first movie by TransCanada staff

Recently, a total of 204 children, 72 parents and 11 teachers from needy communities around the El Oro-Mazatlán construction area – 90 per cent of the kids and 60 per cent of the parents whom had never visited a movie theatre or a city before – were recently taken for a day trip on the town by the project team.

TransCanada rented busses and three movie theatres for children from four schools and an orphanage.

They viewed the film ‘Home’, an animated feature about an alien on the run from his own people and hooking up with an adventurous soul named Tip.

“When the theatre went dark, loud screams were replaced by sighs, wows, and then more screams and laughter throughout,” said Verónica Esquivel, community relations coordinator for the El Oro-Mazatlán Project.

“In the dark room you could catch the glimpse of smiles and happiness in the young faces, and occasionally tears of emotion from the parents.

“The mothers and teachers thanked and blessed TransCanada for doing something that every child and their parents will never forget.”

“The fact is that we need to care about one of the most vulnerable groups in our societies – the kids – and certainly in Mexico there are lots of them in need,” said Esquivel. “What we can do is our part to make their lives just a little easier and happier, sharing what for some of us are normal aspects of our lives which for them have just been dreams up to this point.”

Learn more about TransCanada’s commitment to corporate social responsibility, view the 2014 CSR Report.

Mexican government prepares for natural gas pipeline expansion

The Mexican government has been working to change the paradigm of its energy sector, opening up opportunities for private companies to contribute to the development of the oil and gas industry in the country. This historic step is the cornerstone of ensuring Mexico’s competitiveness in the coming years.

Training young professionals in pipeline construction and management

As is the case with any ambitious expansion, however, there are some challenges to be met. One of these is human resources.

In Mexico there are very few academic institutions that can provide training for technicians to meet the current and future demand that the sector will need.

To address this situation, TransCanada led an initiative, supported by the government of the State of Chihuahua, home of TransCanada’s El Encino-Topolobampo pipeline, aimed at training young professionals in pipeline construction and management.

University of Calgary welcomed 20 students from State of Chihuahua

In collaboration with the University of Calgary, a program was developed to bring 20 Mexican students from that state. The students were chosen to participate in a semester-long pipeline specialization program a the Schulich School of Engineering in Calgary.

When the El Encino-Topolobampo pipeline is completed, Chihuahua will have a total of 530 km of pipeline crossing the state, so these students will be very valuable to the multiple pipeline firms that are working there.

Mexico’s Ministry of Energy plans future education collaboration in Alberta

The students have recently arrived back in Mexico where they hope to will join the workforce in the near future. They are eager to start applying their new skills and knowledge.

Mexico’s Ministry of Energy, SENER, recently announced a collaboration agreement with the University of Calgary and the University of Alberta to continue developing programs like the one initiated by TransCanada, to ensure Mexico’s labour force is well prepared to meet the demands of the newly developing energy industry in the country.

Supporting expansion of Mexico’s essential resources

TransCanada supports Mexico’s decision to encourage expansion of the use of natural gas, a cleaner, more cost-efficient source of energy.

One such opportunity is a dramatic expansion of Mexico’s natural gas pipeline network. Over the past few years, TransCanada has been awarded several contracts for building, maintaining and operating natural gas pipelines, which will secure the supply of natural gas to most of the country.

In November, 2014, TransCanada brought the Tamazunchale Pipeline into service. The US $600-million extension was a true testament of our ability to engineer and manage projects over extremely rugged terrain.

Looking to the future, the Topolobampo and Mazatlan projects, along with the recently awarded Tuxpan-Tula pipeline, will bring TransCanada’s Mexican asset base to US $3 billion by 2017.

Training for the future: Some of the group of 20 Mexican engineering students from the State of Chihuahua relax at the University of Calgary campus where they recently attended a semester-long pipeline specialization program.

Special flora relocation area in El Fuerte, Sinaloa. The full grown cacti can be seen surrounded by numerous smaller cacti that have been grown from plant cuttings.

Newly released Corporate Social Responsibility report highlights sustainable efforts

As construction on the 530-kilometre (329-mile) Topolobampo pipeline in Mexico continues, almost 40,000 plants – including 72 different species – have now been relocated along the right of way (ROW) since the project began, ensuring the preservation of the ecosystems along the entire pipeline route.

This includes the preservation of giant cacti – some of which are 100 years old – that were found near the El Oro Compressor Station.

The effort is one of several examples captured in TransCanada’s just-released 2015 Corporate Social Responsibility Report.

Under the supervision of a registered biologist or forest engineer, vegetative cuts of the cacti were taken and then planted in a nursery near the station, where they are being cared for until they can be relocated to a permanent new site near the ROW.

“The giant cacti, as well as our other plant species, are doing very well,” says Salvador Vallejo, TransCanada’s environmental coordinator for the Topolobampo pipeline.

“Our employees are diligently caring for the plants at our special flora relocation area in El Fuerte, Sinaloa – whether that’s watering the plants, cleaning the plots or otherwise.

“We track all the visits to the flora relocation area as part of a monthly report that we produce to ensure that the plants are growing and thriving so they can eventually be moved to permanent relocation plots near the pipeline ROW.”

The nursery in El Fuerte is currently home to approximately 1,300 plants.

Salvador adds, “The plan is to leave the land in a condition equal to or better than we found it.”

Operating in a sustainable manner

TransCanada’s annual CSR report highlights sustainable efforts like this one, part of our everyday commitment – one that spans over six decades – to operate safely in an economically, environmentally and socially responsible manner.

Other accomplishments highlighted in the report include:

• Our joint research with industry peers to test the latest aerial-based leak detection technologies to enhance pipeline safety across the industry. In 2015, more than $45 million was invested in research and development.
• Our collaboration with Indigenous communities to create business, employment and training opportunities on projects. In 2015, TransCanada generated nearly $168 million in work for Indigenous businesses or their joint-venture partners in Canada and the U.S.
• Our partnerships with various non-profit organizations, supporting initiatives ranging from fire and emergency response to breakfast programs for children to land conservation and more. In 2015, TransCanada invested more than $14.7 million in over 1,400 non-profit organizations across North America.

President and CEO Russ Girling discusses overall efforts like these in this video:

View the 2015 Corporate Social Responsibility Report.

Construction of the Guadalajara Pipeline earlier this decade. The pipeline connects to a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Manzanillo in the state of Colima on Mexico’s Pacific coast.

‘TransCanada is emerging… as one of the biggest beneficiaries of the country’s energy reforms’

(August 2, 2016 update to this article originally published July 27: yet another Mexico project announced – TransCanada, Sierra Oil & Gas and Grupo TMM today announced they are proposing to jointly develop storage and transportation infrastructure to serve the growing demand for refined products such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel in the central region of Mexico and surrounding markets. The proposed US$800 million project would be the largest single investment in refined products since the establishment of the Mexico energy reform. See the news release.)

There’s no questioning the rapid pace and relentless commitment of Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto to his country’s historic energy reforms, despite recent turbulence in the industry.

“The world is trusting and investing in Mexico,” President Peña Nieto said earlier this year during an industry conference.

“Now is not the time to stop. It is the time to move forward.

“…Just like I committed myself to achieve energy reform(s)… now I am committed to accomplish its full, effective and timely implementation.”

Experts say that commitment will translate into a 75 per cent increase in demand for natural gas over the next 15 years, as Mexico’s economy continues its relentless growth and the country continues its switch to natural gas-fired power generation.

Mexico is converting fuel oil and coal-driven power to natural gas through conversion of power plants, aimed at providing more affordable and environmentally-friendly electricity to its residents while keeping up with the pace of industry growth.

That’s where TransCanada comes in.

FIVE REASONS
why TransCanada is a leading partner in bringing Mexico’s energy reforms to life:

#1: Competitive Advantage
The company is already based in Mexico with existing infrastructure, including a head office and gas control in Mexico City, and an operations centre in Toluca, as well as an employee base comprised primarily of Mexican nationals, some of whom hold key leadership positions.
See reason #2

‘Mexico will likely remain a key source of growth for TransCanada for the foreseeable future’

The company is feeling the positive impact of Mexico’s proactive energy infrastructure expansion, with TransCanada’s investment in the country doubling virtually overnight to over US$5 billion.

Says Sarfaraz A. Khan, an analyst with Seeking Alpha, “TransCanada is emerging as the favourite foreign pipeline operator of the Mexican government and one of the biggest beneficiaries of the company’s energy reforms.”

“…Mexico will likely remain a key source of growth for TransCanada for the foreseeable future,” he adds.

Three new pipelines awarded to TransCanada

With a lengthy 20-year history in Mexico, TransCanada has earned the right recently to build three new pipelines.

#2: Trust
TransCanada’s presence in Mexico dates back to the mid-1990’s, when TransCanada constructed two of the first privately owned pipelines. The company is very well known and respected amongst government officials.
See reason #3

Most recently, the company’s joint venture with IEnova, Infraestructura Marina del Golfo (IMG) was awarded the project to build, own and operate the US$2.1 billion Sur de Texas – Tuxpan natural gas pipeline.

Within the past year, TransCanada was also awarded the Tuxpan – Tula  and the Tula – Villa de Reyes natural gas pipelines.

Construction for these two pipelines is in progress with the expectation of achieving in-service dates in 2018.

Meanwhile, the Topolobampo and Mazatlán pipelines are both expected to be in-service in 2016.

Including TransCanada’s Tamazunchale and Guadalajara pipelines, that makes seven pipelines either under construction or in operation, all underpinned by 25-year contracts backed by the Mexican government’s Comisión de Federal Electricidad (CFE).

#3: Timing
TransCanada’s expansion in Mexico has coincided with a call for private investment by the government, and a plan to dramatically increase natural gas pipeline infrastructure to generate cheaper and expansive electricity.
See reason #4

Projects outlook remains positive

TransCanada’s Mexico success and recent expansion comes as little surprise to country General Manager and President of Mexico operations, Robert Jones, who sees no end in sight for the short and long-term project opportunities.

“Every year it seems we have another pipeline to build, or one that is going into commission,” Jones says. “We run a first class business, our excellent safety record and operating performance is leading us to new opportunities.”

“It’s an exciting place for TransCanada to be right now.”

Additionally, TransCanada’s efforts in working with some of Mexico’s Indigenous communities are well documented, as well as the company coming to the country’s aid during tough times such as providing aid during Hurricane Ingrid and Tropical Storm Manuel.

Our people on the ground have become well known in the community.

#4: Expertise
TransCanada operates 91,000 kilometres of natural gas pipelines across North America. That’s enough to circle the globe twice.
See reason #5

“Similar to Canada and the U.S., wherever our pipelines are, we have  technicians and operators living in these communities and caring about their neighbours and fellow residents.“

And that bodes well for those who may be considering investing in the company.

“TransCanada is refinancing our Mexican business to raise funds after agreeing to a historic purchase of the Columbia Pipeline Group,” Jones explains.

“We plan to sell as much as 49 per cent of our Mexico natural gas pipeline business to financial investors as part of that $10.2 billion purchase.”

Jones believes that TransCanada Mexico is an excellent investment opportunity. “We have the right recipe as we have established an impressive pipeline foothold in the country.”

“We do what we say we are going to do, we’re open, transparent and ethical. We work with local and Indigenous communities, and we treat people with respect.

“Because of those values, TransCanada has been embraced in Mexico.”

#5: Technology
Mexico seeks innovative solutions in developing infrastructure and TransCanada has already delivered in recent projects with leading edge construction techniques such as tunneling horizontally through a mountain, tunneling vertically down a cliff face or using a gondola system for construction on a steep mountain slope.

Coming together for adult literacy: Earlier this month, TransCanada and Mexican officials signed an agreement to support an adult literacy project in six states. The signatories included, from left to right: Lorena Patterson, TransCanada’s Director of Corporate Affairs in Mexico; Omar Fayad, Governor of the State of Hidalgo; Aurelio Nuño, Mexican Minister of Education; Mauricio López Velázquez, General Director of the National Institute for Adult Education (INEA).

New partnership tackles adult literacy

In a country where four per cent of men and six per cent of women over the age of 15 are illiterate, TransCanada is taking steps to help improve adult education in Mexico.

Earlier this month, TransCanada signed an agreement with the National Institute for Adult Education (INEA) and the Ministry of Education (SEP) in Mexico to support a literacy project in the states of Hidalgo, Veracruz, Puebla, San Luis Potosi, Queretaro and Guanajuato.

The company’s existing pipeline network – as well as projects under construction and in development – passes by some communities where TransCanada has recognized a need for assistance.

In the city of Tuxpan, Veracruz, up to 55 per cent of the population experiences some form of educational lag – referring to adults who are illiterate or have never finished primary or middle school.

Tuxpan also happens to sit along the route of the company’s 800-kilometre (497-mile) Sur de Texas-Tuxpan Pipeline as well as the 250-kilometre (155-mile) Tuxpan-Tula Pipeline.

Aurelio Nuño, the Mexican Minister of Education, said, “I thank TransCanada for its commitment to education in Mexico. With this agreement, we intertwine the efforts of the government with the social responsibility and commitment of such an important company, which will allow us to eradicate the educational lag in many ways.”

Closing in on the educational lag

TransCanada’s funding will help improve school infrastructure in the communities, such as through the purchase of new computers or meeting transportation needs of adult students.

As a result, some people from remote communities will have access to education for the first time in their lives.

Mauricio López Velázquez, General Director of INEA, said that the positive impact of the partnership on communities should not be underestimated.

“Thanks to TransCanada and the states that will be benefiting, this effort will allow us to fight against educational lag and continue to grow together, so that each person who finishes their studies strengthens their community,” said Mauricio.

Lorena Patterson, TransCanada’s Director of Corporate Affairs in Mexico, said not only will the partnership provide new educational opportunities for communities, but it will also support economic growth in the most remote areas.

“Through our projects and work in surrounding communities, we aim to generate positive change that improves people’s lives wherever they are,” she said.

Collaborating on education

This is not the first time TransCanada has supported educational programs in Mexico.

Last year, TransCanada funded and led an initiative supported by the government of the State of Chihuahua – home of the company’s El Encino-Topolobampo pipeline – aimed at training young professionals to become the next generation of pipeline engineers.

Twenty Mexican students participated in a semester-long pipeline specialization program at the University of Calgary (U of C) – with the intent of applying their new skills and knowledge in the developing energy industry of their home country.

Recently, TransCanada welcomed 18 more students from the states of Chihuahua, Veracruz, Hidalgo and Puebla, who are starting their studies in the fall 2016 program at the U of C.

Related links:

Dreams realized in some of Mexico’s poorest indigenous communities
Preparing Mexico’s pipeline engineers

Reason to smile: The work of Rosa Villabolos (middle) in opening the dialogue between her people and TransCanada was key in the Topolobampo natural gas pipeline consultations. Joining Rosa are Robert Jones, President, TransCanada Mexico and Lorena Patterson, Director Corporate Affairs, TransCanada Mexico.

Raramuri leader influences traditional roles

For Rosa Villalobos – a member of the Raramuri First Nation in Mexico’s north central region – the ability to speak in front of crowds and provide key information to her community wasn’t always second nature.

But ambition led the way, and Villalobos – who speaks the traditional Raramuri language – also learned Spanish at the age of 15. And while only 11 per cent of those in poor rural areas have access to post-secondary education (and rarely women in her culture), Villalobos pursued further studies in ecology. From an early age, she was always committed to improving the environment and conditions for her community and for herself.

Reaching Mexico communities through traditional language

Villalobos’ remote community, San Ignacio de Arareco is four hours southeast of Chihuahua City, and located near TransCanada’s Topolobampo natural gas pipeline project.

When the project was announced, Villalobos was quick to join the company’s Community Advocates program as part of the project engagement process. Participants learn about the construction practices and environmental activities the company uses to install a pipeline, then go on to share this knowledge with their communities in their traditional languages.

“The goal is to cascade important information to those in affected communities and build relationships through informal meetings that take place near the pipeline route,” said David Torres, Community Relations Coordinator for TransCanada Mexico. “Rosa has been a key in opening the dialogue with San Ignacio in their traditional language.”

Indigenous engagement led by community members

Explaining these practices to her community has allowed Rosa to become a trusted advisor in San Ignacio. She points out how at the beginning the members of her locality did not agree with her taking that role, but eventually they came to accept it.

“I have earned their respect. They talk to me and ask me things.”

Benefits for all: TransCanada’s Topolobampo pipeline will supply natural gas to areas of the country where it’s never been available before while providing economic benefits and jobs to communities.

She also developed new skills, like public speaking, that have moved her into a leadership role in her community. She values all that she has learned by working and collaborating with TransCanada employees.

“I have learned so much. They taught me not to be afraid when I had to speak among a crowd,” Villalobos said .

The knowledge shared between community advocates and TransCanada employees is mutual: “Community advocates like Rosa help us learn more about the regions and cultures where we work and generate collaborative relationships of mutual benefit,” Torres added. “Rosa’s work is an example of the best possible coexistence between our projects and neighbouring populations.”

Consultation result is favourable

One of the main concerns from the communities was that the Rarámuris did not understand what the El Encino – Topolobampo project was about. Putting in practice what she had learned, Villalobos was able to explain the project to her community from their own perspective. Providing information about benefits and impacts, Villalobos was able to help her community see how the project could benefit them.

Villalobos is proud of her role encouraging all the members of her locality to participate in the process and to obtain their approval for the construction.

“That day I felt very comfortable, we had never worked this way before,” she affirms.

Next steps for a leader on the rise

Today, Villalobos is a member of the Tourism Committee and Follow-up Committee of San Ignacio de Arareco. She also supports her brother Daniel, the Comisario Ejidal (main authority), to write official statements and releases, as well as organizing events for the benefit of the community.

Villalobos’ path has been long, breaking stereotypes about what women should do and how they should behave as a result of years of tradition. However, she doesn’t see her current work as her main achievement, but as a stepping stone to her real goal: following the tradition of her grandfather, father and brother, but also becoming the first woman to be Comisaria Ejidal in her community.

Related stories:

Breaking new ground in Mexico
Words in action in Mexico
Dreams realized in some of Mexico’s poorest Indigenous communities

Children enjoy a game of basketball in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, where TransCanada helped build a new sports, community and educational centre.

For years, children in the northern region of Mexico’s Sinaloa state had no real place to learn. Teachers would move from one house to another, or cram their young students into a tiny room measuring 6m x 4m – with no furniture, no power, no running water and no washrooms.

“For more than 12 years, the level of education for our Indigenous initiation class was deplorable,” said Francisca Torres, who teaches Indigenous programming in Sinaloa.

“We had to work in bad conditions, with no infrastructure.”

After hearing about these issues from local organizations and government, TransCanada contributed to building a training center, community center, football fields as well as an Indigenous culture and traditions facility.

At the new centre, young children will have the opportunity to learn their native language, “Yoreme,” and they’ll be able to continue their education in a clean, healthy and new atmosphere.

“Thanks to [the centre], kids are now able to be taught in an adequate environment, which enhances their learning skills and development,” said Torres.

This new space in Sinaloa, Mexico, will provide students with a clean and comfortable place to learn.

An eye to the future

For youth and adult learners, the training centre will focus on teaching technical skills, including cooking, building, administration and English to cover the demand for skilled technical professionals near Topolobampo, where TransCanada operates its Topolobampo pipeline. This increased training will help graduates find better jobs with higher wages.

More than 6,500 people from the state of Sinaloa will directly benefit from the investment of nearly 7 million pesos, or $373,000 US.

Since 2012, TransCanada has donated more than 40 million pesos for social benefit in Sinaloa alone. Those funds will help citizens enjoy a more prosperous future, said Francisco Labastida Gómez de la Torre, the former minister of economic development for the state.

“We are giving them new tools and skills so that they strengthen their ties as a community, they recompose the social fabric and they have a better control of their destinies,” said Ramón Abarca, Transcanada’s Community Relations Manager.

These projects, in collaboration with the Government of Sinaloa, are part of TransCanada’s commitment to listening to and supporting the communities where we live and work.

• Words in action in Mexico
• Mexico has ’embraced’ TransCanada
• Preparing Mexico’s pipeline engineers