While the permanent closure of the Come by Chance oil refinery is not a done deal just yet, job cuts are coming this week, according to the union representing workers at the site.
While sources initially told CBC News on Monday night the refinery was definitely shutting its doors for good, North Atlantic Refinery Limited says it is considering its options and trying to find ways to cut costs and save money before moving to close the refinery.
That information was contained in a letter to workers, seen by CBC News on Tuesday.
The company confirmed a proposed deal with Irving Oil — a transaction many had hoped would give the aging facility new life — had all but fallen through,
North Atlantic Refinery Limited said in its internal message to workers that it “does not expect the sale of the refinery [to Irving Oil] to go forward.”
Union executive say it’s an anxious time for workers who await the future of the Come by Chance refinery. Pictured here: Glenn Nolan, president of USW Local 9316, front, Ron Thomas International rep USW, Rita Lockyer, secretary Local 9316, and Perry Feltham, VP Local 9316. (Terry Roberts/CBC)
North Atlantic said it is trying to remain economically viable when it comes to the refinery, and absent that, it “will proceed with permanent closure.” It’s not clear how long the company is prepared to carry on before shutting down the refinery.
Glenn Nolan, president of United Steelworkers Local 9316, told CBC it’s an anxious time as uncertainty swirls.
He said he had a call with Premier Andrew Furey and Industry, Energy and Technology Minister Andrew Parsons.
“We’re asking what the options are and we’re hoping that in the next couple of days, they’ll get back to us and let us know where we stand,” he said.
The refinery employs 500 workers directly, along with dozens of contract employees. (Bruce Tilley/CBC)
Nolan said the devastation to the economy, families and livelihoods cannot be overstated if the refinery closes.
“Our futures are all over … and when I say ‘futures,’ I mean future of Newfoundland and Labrador,” he said.
Another company interested in refinery
The situation involving the refinery continues to evolve almost hourly.
A meeting with union employees working at the refinery concluded Tuesday morning shortly before 11 a.m. NT. Workers declined to comment, and resumed work at the site.
There may be another glimmer of hope for the facility.
Nicholas Myerson is the CEO of Maryland-based oil recycling company Origin International, which is once again expressing interest in the refinery. (Origin International)
Shortly after 12:30 p.m., Origin International Inc. — a private U.S. company that specializes in recycling used oil —issued a statement saying it remains “interested in the refinery.”
“We are limited in the commentary we can provide at this point as we have had no opportunity to do any due diligence and are not aware if any new sale process has begun,” reads the statement provided to CBC News.
“We appreciate how important Come by Chance is to the Newfoundland and Labrador economy.”
The company said it is awaiting further clarity on the status of the refinery from North Atlantic.
It isn’t the first time Origin International has expressed interest in the refinery.
The company’s CEO wrote a letter in June to then provincial natural resources minister Siobhan Coady.
“In the event the Irving transaction stakeholders deem appropriate an assessment of alternatives to acquire NARC, Origin stands willing and able to re-engage in its bid for NARC,” Nicholas Myserson wrote.
“We just wanted to make decision-makers aware of our interest in the province and a key asset in the event circumstances changed.”
‘We’ll have to move away’
If a permanent closure were to happen, it would see 500 direct jobs axed and mean less work for dozens of contract employees.
In the past, the refinery has contributed to as much as five per cent of the province’s economy.
Mary Whelan and her husband, Denis Furlong, say there will be severe consequences if the refinery were to close. (Adam Walsh/CBC)
Denis Furlong of Arnold’s Cove has worked at the refinery for 22 years. He was laid off in April and had hoped to get back to the refinery, but said he isn’t shocked at the latest developments, given the economic climate.
“It’s totally different times now. Small businesses, big businesses, doesn’t matter. The profits aren’t there for any of them anymore,” Furlong told CBC News on Tuesday afternoon.
“That’s it. You have to be able to roll with the punches.”
His wife, Mary Whelan, fought back tears as she talked to CBC, saying the couple can’t survive financially on her salary alone if the refinery does close.
“I don’t know what going to happen.… We’ll have to move away, I’d say,” she said sombrely.
Daniel Baker says the economic devastation of the closure would be felt by convenience stores, coffee shops, restaurants and other businesses. (Adam Walsh/CBC)
Daniel Baker, who works for an industrial maintenance company, said the indirect economic blowblack would be massive.
“You’re looking at 600 or 700 families,” he said.
“There’s a lot of spinoff jobs from this.… You take this little coffee shop, it’s going to be hard on them,” he added, pointing to a building behind him.
Jeff Slade says if the refinery closes, he will likely have to move to British Columbia for work. (Adam Walsh/CBC)
Jeff Slade was laid off from the refinery in March. His wife and two kids are in Arnold’s Cove, but if the site is closed for good, he figures he will have to move by the spring.
“Probably head back to B.C.… Hopefully something comes out of it, [I’ll] see what happens, you know. It’s a pandemic — it’s a bad time, a bad time,” Slade told CBC News.
North Atlantic said it will continue to operate the fuel tank farm at the refinery and supply various fuels throughout the province.
The chain of North Atlantic service stations and Orange Stores will also continue to operate.
“The company will not be providing comment on internal, confidential matters at this time,” North Atlantic Refining said in a statement Monday evening.The refinery appeared to be on the upswing prior to the global pandemic, which forced the owners to stop refining fuels in March.
Most job search advice is cookie-cutter. The advice you’re following is almost certainly the same advice other job seekers follow, making you just another candidate following the same script.
In today’s hyper-competitive job market, standing out is critical, a challenge most job seekers struggle with. Instead of relying on generic questions recommended by self-proclaimed career coaches, which often lead to a forgettable interview, ask unique, thought-provoking questions that’ll spark engaging conversations and leave a lasting impression.
Your level of interest in the company and the role.
Contributing to your employer’s success is essential.
You desire a cultural fit.
Here are the top four questions experts recommend candidates ask; hence, they’ve become cliché questions you should avoid asking:
“What are the key responsibilities of this position?”
Most likely, the job description answers this question. Therefore, asking this question indicates you didn’t read the job description. If you require clarification, ask, “How many outbound calls will I be required to make daily?” “What will be my monthly revenue target?”
“What does a typical day look like?”
Although it’s important to understand day-to-day expectations, this question tends to elicit vague responses and rarely leads to a deeper conversation. Don’t focus on what your day will look like; instead, focus on being clear on the results you need to deliver. Nobody I know has ever been fired for not following a “typical day.” However, I know several people who were fired for failing to meet expectations. Before accepting a job offer, ensure you’re capable of meeting the employer’s expectations.
“How would you describe the company culture?”
Asking this question screams, “I read somewhere to ask this question.” There are much better ways to research a company’s culture, such as speaking to current and former employees, reading online reviews and news articles. Furthermore, since your interviewer works for the company, they’re presumably comfortable with the culture. Do you expect your interviewer to give you the brutal truth? “Be careful of Craig; get on his bad side, and he’ll make your life miserable.” “Bob is close to retirement. I give him lots of slack, which the rest of the team needs to pick up.”
Truism: No matter how much due diligence you do, only when you start working for the employer will you experience and, therefore, know their culture firsthand.
“What opportunities are there for professional development?”
When asked this question, I immediately think the candidate cares more about gaining than contributing, a showstopper. Managing your career is your responsibility, not your employer’s.
Cliché questions don’t impress hiring managers, nor will they differentiate you from your competition. To transform your interaction with your interviewer from a Q&A session into a dynamic discussion, ask unique, insightful questions.
Here are my four go-to questions—I have many more—to accomplish this:
“Describe your management style. How will you manage me?”
This question gives your interviewer the opportunity to talk about themselves, which we all love doing. As well, being in sync with my boss is extremely important to me. The management style of who’ll be my boss is a determining factor in whether or not I’ll accept the job.
“What is the one thing I should never do that’ll piss you off and possibly damage our working relationship beyond repair?”
This question also allows me to determine whether I and my to-be boss would be in sync. Sometimes I ask, “What are your pet peeves?”
“When I join the team, what would be the most important contribution you’d want to see from me in the first six months?”
Setting myself up for failure is the last thing I want. As I mentioned, focus on the results you need to produce and timelines. How realistic are the expectations? It’s never about the question; it’s about what you want to know. It’s important to know whether you’ll be able to meet or even exceed your new boss’s expectations.
“If I wanted to sell you on an idea or suggestion, what do you need to know?”
Years ago, a candidate asked me this question. I was impressed he wasn’t looking just to put in time; he was looking for how he could be a contributing employee. Every time I ask this question, it leads to an in-depth discussion.
Other questions I’ve asked:
“What keeps you up at night?”
“If you were to leave this company, who would follow?”
“How do you handle an employee making a mistake?”
“If you were to give a Ted Talk, what topic would you talk about?”
“What are three highly valued skills at [company] that I should master to advance?”
“What are the informal expectations of the role?”
“What is one misconception people have about you [or the company]?”
Your questions reveal a great deal about your motivations, drive to make a meaningful impact on the business, and a chance to morph the questioning into a conversation. Cliché questions don’t lead to meaningful discussions, whereas unique, thought-provoking questions do and, in turn, make you memorable.
Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. You can send Nick your questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.
CALGARY – Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. reported a third-quarter profit of $2.27 billion, down from $2.34 billion in the same quarter last year.
The company says the profit amounted to $1.06 per diluted share for the quarter that ended Sept. 30 compared with $1.06 per diluted share a year earlier.
Product sales totalled $10.40 billion, down from $11.76 billion in the same quarter last year.
Daily production for the quarter averaged 1,363,086 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 1,393,614 a year ago.
On an adjusted basis, Canadian Natural says it earned 97 cents per diluted share for the quarter, down from an adjusted profit of $1.30 per diluted share in the same quarter last year.
The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 90 cents per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.
CALGARY – Cenovus Energy Inc. reported its third-quarter profit fell compared with a year as its revenue edged lower.
The company says it earned $820 million or 42 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, down from $1.86 billion or 97 cents per diluted share a year earlier.
Revenue for the quarter totalled $14.25 billion, down from $14.58 billion in the same quarter last year.
Total upstream production in the quarter amounted to 771,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 797,000 a year earlier.
Total downstream throughput was 642,900 barrels per day compared with 664,300 in the same quarter last year.
On an adjusted basis, Cenovus says its funds flow amounted to $1.05 per diluted share in its latest quarter, down from adjusted funds flow of $1.81 per diluted share a year earlier.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.
