Mainland Machinery Ltd

Background Check Yourself Before a New Job

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background checkBackground Check Yourself Before a New Job

Do you have a criminal record? It’s a very simple question to answer, but one that can end up costing you an opportunity for a good job. Even if you sail through the interview and are awarded a contract, a standard background check can bring that potential career to a screeching halt.

What can be worse is that some of your background information could simply be false. Will you have a chance to explain that to your potential employer? Probably not. They’ll just be looking at those “red flags” and decide it will be better to give the job to someone else. That’s why it’s important to check yourself out before your new boss does.

According to surveys, up to 92% of all employers run some sort of background check on their prospective employees. This can be a combination of a credit report and a criminal background check. Keep in mind that there is no central database that contains all the correct and current information.

Just as your credit reports come from three different sources, a criminal background check can reach far back into your past. Make sure that you double check the information in their database, as these reporting agencies can have potentially harmful information on you. Even if you were arrested on a minor charge when you were 18 and had those charges dropped, the record of that arrest will pop up on a report. What if the charge was for petty theft or vandalism? That is not something you want your potential boss to see.

Before applying for a job, Google your name. You may see your name in public records, newspaper articles or other web posts. If you have a very common name, you might be surprised to find out what someone who shares that name has been up to.

This can be a great way to see if you’ve become the victim of identity theft. Someone could have acquired your name, stolen your credit card number and gone on a crime spree. Therefore, if your name is run against the criminal database, you may just have a criminal record registered under your name.

Does all of this mean you’re stuck with whatever crops up on you record? Absolutely not. First of all, you can deal with the personal criminal history you know to be accurate. Depending on the charge, a skilled defense attorney could file an expungement of your record.

If granted, those files are removed from the system, as if the incident never happened. If the event in your past occurred in another city, you might have to hire a lawyer from that jurisdiction. However, you won’t have to be present to have the record expunged.

You can also find many resources online that can provide a free credit report. Go over these reports carefully and look for any discrepancies such as open accounts that you closed or any missed payments. All of these issues can be corrected.

However, it probably can’t happen overnight. This is why it is important to clear up your records on a regular basis – at least once every year.  Knowing you have a clean record will give you the confidence to have a great interview and get that job. 

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Best Maritime Safety Product of 2013

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maritime safety Best Maritime Safety Product of 2013

At the end of the year, companies and TV shows alike often use the season to compile top ten lists with a comical spin, review the events of the year, and hand out awards. As the year 2013 winded down, the Safety at Sea Awards shined a much-needed spotlight on maritime safety. This year, the organization awarded Norsafe’s GES50 MKIII lifeboat as the best maritime safety product. The competition was fierce for this coveted trophy; good news for the entire maritime industry as it means there are many new and improved devices aimed at keeping workers and crews safe.

The GES50 MKIII was designed as a fully enclosed free-fall craft. It will be used for emergency evacuations on ships, oil-rigs, and any other  type of offshore platforms. Far from a small craft, this lifeboat is 50ft long and can carry up to 70 people. The vessel is made from fire-resistant Glass Fiber Reinforced Polyester (GRP). Before being put into operation, the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) signed off on the release hook configuration, lifting pad eyes, the buoyancy foam-filled compartments between the hull and hull line, and the deck liner. That is a seal of approval any manufacturer would be proud of obtaining.

Before being honored by the Safety at Sea Award, Norsafe put its craft through the paces in an extreme free-fall test. For this exam, the GES50 MKIII was transported two miles off the coast of Norway, during a very chilly December afternoon. The goal was to drop the lifeboat in stormy weather conditions to see how the craft would stand up in big waves. The seas complied and the lifeboat was delivered on the back of a huge trawler . The crew, including Norsafe engineers and technicians, who were also aboard the trawler, had to endure a two hour trip in very rough waters in order to reach the test site. Marine representatives from the Netherlands were also on hand to log the collected data. Just in case things went south, Norsafe had a Magnum 850 rescue boat stationed nearby; thankfully, it was never needed for this operation.

Once at the designated spot, the vessel was dropped from a height of 61.53m, even though it has only been certified for drops as high as 47m. On the test boat, was an advanced GPS and sophisticated acceleration sensors and over the course of the four-hour test, the GES50 MKIII performed an array of maneuvers in waves that were cresting at up to 10 meters. By all accounts, the boat performed extremely well. With those harsh conditions, the GES50 MKIII was still able to maintain a speed of about 8 knots at an 80% throttle.

The GES50 MKIII was designed to work from a skid launch, which meant that Norsafe needed to create a new davit for the boat. The SW50 is as safe and easy to operate as the vessel it holds. The GES50 MKIII is among the first in a series of lifeboats Norsafe designed to meet all the new maritime safety regulations pertaining to free-fall lifeboats. Currently, there are 100 boats in the works for delivery to companies all across the globe. Those fortunate companies will be on the receiving end of the safest lifeboat system available on the market today.

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Mining Safety Mistakes You Could be Making

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mining safety mistakesMining Safety Mistakes You Could be Making

Statistically speaking, major mining accidents are a bit of a rarity. When a severe accident occurs, it becomes the lead news story for several days. Meanwhile, there are hundreds of mining operations all over the world that continue to excavate as per their usual procedures. Therefore, the question is, “are these mines acting safely?” There are safety points that every mining operation can and should implement. Mining is a dangerous job, were safety must be priority number one, at all times. Are you sure that mistakes, of any caliber, aren’t being made at your mine?

Too Many Slogans, Not Enough Action

Putting up safety slogan posters and issuing “action” memos is an easy way for management to promote workplace safety; but if executive leaders truly put safety first, you’ll see them in action. Management should be following up on monthly reviews and exemplifying the safety signage they are posting. Maintaining safety checklists and protocols are important, a mining manager should work closely with their team to inspect safety systems; a task which creates a great opportunity for managers to lead by example. Showing workers that they are genuinely serious about safety will go a lot further than any “break room slogan.”

Letting Things Pass 

An accident can occur in the blink of an eye. The same could be said for overlooking the conditions that may lead up to that accident. When management overlooks minor breaches for the sake of expediency, they are essentially showing workers that they can cut corners. This is not the message you want to send. The safety guidelines apply to all workers, during all shifts, at all times. Anything less, even the “smallest” of infractions, is putting the entire operation at risk.

Not Recognizing Good Work

There are many mining operations which post a sign that reads “____ days since the last accident.” The hope is that the number of days between accidents continues to grow. While that is certainly a “hat tip” to the workers, it really doesn’t go far enough in providing positive reinforcement for following the safety rules. Does your management team acknowledge when safety requirements are met?

Ignoring Safety Protocols

Safety protocols are not created on a whim; a lot of effort has gone into those procedures. However, if management ignores protocol because they find them “intrusive,” they are doing a disservice to the entire operation. Instead, management should be receptive to hearing feedback from the workers, if and when there is an issue with a particular safety practice. Remember, the main work force is the front-line when it comes to maintaining safety. They carry out procedures and are within the work conditions each day,and  they will have great insight when it comes to knowing what works and what doesn’t.

Not Embracing Safety Routines

There are safety routines including checklists before, during, and after a work shift, that every mining operator needs to follow. By sticking to these routines, workers at all levels of experience will know what hazards to look out for during their shifts. Yes, you are “drilling safety procedures” into the workers’ head, but that is how they will stick.

Lack of Focus for Safety Observations

The best way to see if safety procedures are being followed is to observe those procedures in action. The mine’s management team should be conducting safety inspections on a regular basis. These occurrences need to be more than just checking off a list; constructive criticism should be offered to all workers in order to help them improve their actions. Catching a worker doing something wrong is not the main goal, noticing an error and challenging them to do better is what will make it a safer work environment for the entire staff.

Mainland Machinery Ltd

How to Put Vertical Tillage to Work on Your Farm

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vertical tillageHow to Put Vertical Tillage to Work on Your Farm

Farming innovation is all about increasing productivity and making the farmers’ workday a bit smoother. This is how the concept of vertical tillage was formed. Basically, vertical tillage allows the farmer to start a field’s drying out phase earlier. It can also provide more residue on the soil while creating a smoother seedbed. Farmers who have used vertical tillage appreciate the ability to run fast and pull shallow.  This process is changing the way many crops are being grown and how fields are being cleared. The key is to find the right tool for your fields.

The average vertical tillage tool is designed with straight blades that cut residue at a rate of up to 9 mph. When the tool is set to run 2 inches deep, you’ll be breaking down enough crop residue in the fall, to set the course for drying out the soil when the weather becomes warmer. Because of the speed of the vertical tillage tool, many farmers are able to work through a field faster than they did before.

These tools have been shown to work exceptionally well in cornfields where the residue breakdown of the fall season crop is so important. In the spring, farmers have found an additional benefit from running their vertical tillage tool before the planter; it causes the crop residue to get fluffed up and brings the rich soil to the top layer. The result is an improved seed-to-soil configuration. Soybean farmers have discovered that running the vertical tillage tool in the spring really warms up the soil and this has allowed these crops to grow quickly.

Agronomists who have studied the benefits of vertical tillage have discovered that the overall health and structure of the soil has improved greatly in the fields where this method is deployed. This is due to the fact that the vertical tillage tools on the market today, avoid the concave angle of the traditional tilling blades. Because it doesn’t shift the soil from side to side, vertical tillage helps the farmer avoid the horizontal pans  that many growers are trying to avoid. The typical method of tilling is to run a ripper in the fall and a cultivator in the spring. The result was that the cultivator was digging into 3 inches of soil that ended up compacting the area. Vertical tillage sidesteps the compaction issue.

A brand new vertical tillage tool can run as high as $50,000 for a standalone unit. However, there are many ways that pieces of equipment like the Landoll Tilloll can be retrofitted with rolling coulters. The total cost is closer to $8,000.

Is vertical tillage right for your farm? That might come down to the matter of your yield-limiting issues. Farmers who are constricted by the wrong hybrid, phosphorus or potassium levels might find that vertical tillage isn’t the solution. Instead, it is recommended that you first analyze your roots to determine what could be holding back your yield.

Making an informed decision about switching over to vertical tillage will offer the most rewards for your harvest.

 

 

 

 

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Farm Drones Flying to a Field Near You

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farm dronesFarm Drones Flying to a Field Near You

Recently, the online shopping giant Amazon announced that they were working on drone delivery. The goal is to have any order placed with Amazon delivered within 30 minutes via a fully automated drone. In response to this news, the small community of Deer Trail, Colorado put forth a ballot measure that would allow hunters to shoot down government drones. No word yet on the ability to tell the difference between a government drone and an Amazon drone.

Of course, those two entities aren’t the only players in the drone game. On the horizon in industrial agriculture, there is the potential for farmers to put drones to use over their fields. This could prove to be a major benefit in the agricultural and drone manufacturing industry.

A Future of Drones

Right now, most of the drones in use have military or security applications. A drone can be equipped with a video camera, lights, microphones and even a robotic arm. Best of all, it doesn’t take a lot to operate the drone; typically, a single pilot can maneuver the drone from the safety of a far away bunker. In the future, drones will be fully automated with downloadable flight plans that would allow them to fly and function without a pilot. But, the question is, how can this technology help farmers?

Thanks to improved automation systems, the modern farm requires fewer workers to tend to the thousands of acres on a single property. While that is good news for the farmer’s bottom line, this is not favorable when it comes to crop management. It’s difficult to manage such a large area and keep track of any problems that could happen. However, with the development of automated drones, managing vast tracts of farmland would become easier. A flyover from an automated drone could help inspect the plants and detect any infestation or disease.

Drones are already being used by farmers to collect all kinds of data about plant growth and soil conditions. It’s not a stretch to imagine the basic operational systems of these drones being expanded to perform an even larger array of tasks.

Protecting the Farm

Agricultural drones are being developed to protect farms from potentially devastating infestations such as birds, diseases and bugs. This next generation of drones will not only be able to detect these swarms, but will also be able to deliver remedies such as pesticides and herbicides. Think of them as robotic crop dusters. These same drones could be adapted to deliver warming foam when the falling temperatures threaten crops. The mere presence of a flying drone will likely be enough to scare off flocks of birds. This means that the drone could also be thought of as the ultimate “scarecrow.”

Seeding the Land

Over in Japan, scientists are far ahead when it comes to drone technology, developing robots with the ability to plant rice crops. Here in America, GPS equipped tractors are helping farmers plant perfectly aligned fields of wheat. Therefore, the idea that sometime in the near future you’ll be seeing drones seeding fields as you drive in the country side, isn’t all that farfetched.

According to a survey conducted by Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, by the year 2025, the drone industry could pump 100,000 new jobs and $82 billion into our economy. The more help a farmer can receive for improved production and yield, the better off we’ll all be.

So keep watching the skies; there could be a drone flying over.

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Fatigue Being Studied with ReadiBand

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FatigueFatigue Being Studied with ReadiBand

Worker fatigue has long been a problem plaguing many, but especially those employed as mining operators. However, it might have less to do with working too long and more to do with not getting the right amount of rest. Even though doctors recommend that we get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night, rarely does anyone sleep for that amount of time. In order to find out how miners are holding up, several major mining companies are teaming up with Fatigue Science and the ReadiBand sleep monitoring device.

The ReadiBand is a much more affordable and convenient way to collect sleep data. The other method required the test subject to sleep overnight in a lab, hooked up to electrodes that feed the data to recording devices. Sleeping in the comfort of your own bed, the ReadiBand is worn like a wristwatch and runs on rechargeable batteries. When activated, the ReadiBand utilizes a sophisticated program to determine the level of sleep quality. These findings are based on the wrist movements of the person wearing the device, a method of collecting data which is referred to as actigraphy; the same semiconductors used to transmit this data were created for work with the US Department of Defense.  The data collected through monitoring is then transmitted to a computer and analyzed by Fatigue Science.

The type of information that the ReadiBand collects includes the following:

  • Average amount of time slept each night;
  • The amount of time it takes to fall asleep;
  • The number of times a person wakes up during the night;
  • Fatigue risk analysis based on blood alcohol levels vs. fatigue levels.

Add it all together and the wearer of the ReadiBand has concrete information to discuss with their doctor. Together, adjustments can be made to ensure more effective sleep patterns. This is a proactive step towards combating the issue of work fatigue and could change the way everyone in the mining industry looks at sleep.

One of the first operations to bring Fatigue Science on board was the Rio Tinto mining company. Back in 2011, the Rio Tinto workers were asked to wear the ReadiBand over a two-week period. In just those first 14 days, data showed that the highest occurrence of fatigue-related accidents were happening at the conclusion of the first day shift and during the last night shift. Because of these findings, Rio Tinto introduced new safety guidelines that prevent workers from operating heavy machinery if they’ve been awake for 14 hours straight or more. Once those rules were put into place, those fatigue-related accidents faded. The workers also reported feeling better, which improved moral and helped with overall productivity.

Here in Canada, the ReadiBand is being used by Vancouver’s hockey team, the Canucks; and consumers are renting the ReadiBand from the pharmacy chain, London Drugs. For a nominal charge, the local pharmacist can upload all the collected data and obtain a detailed sleep report for the user.

Fatigue Science has been leading the charge to study sleep disorders. Their fatigue measurement technology is helping a large segment of the population get a better night’s rest. This will translate into less fatigue-related accidents and better health all around.

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Building a Stronger Financial Future with Your Mining Job

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Mining jobHaving a decent job in the mining industry puts you in the enviable position of setting up a secure financial future. If all goes according to plan, you’ll be able to provide a decent standard of living for yourself and your family, while working towards a nice retirement. In order to accomplish the goal of having stable finances it is imperative to protect your earnings and be proactive about your money management. Paying off bills and saving money is half the battle. Here are some thoughtful tips that can help you secure your financial future.

Don’t Settle for Your Current Position

Landing a decent mining job is a combination of having the right experience and skill sets. However, you can bolster your job security by constantly proving you’re the right person for the company. Notice we didn’t say, “The right person for the job.” That’s because you need be aware of your future within the company, including keeping an eye out for opportunities to move up internally.

At any given time, there could be room for advancement. Will you be ready to take advantage of those opportunities? This might require you taking additional training or certification to prove that you’re capable of filling the position. If you’re taking courses outside of the company, make sure that management is aware of your efforts. You’ll be demonstrating your willingness to continue to learn, a very valuable commodity for an employee. Who knows? They might even help foot the bill.

Keeping up with industry information is also a great way to stay educated and ahead of potential job competition. There are innovations in the mining industry that happen nearly every day. Subscribing to trade journals and keeping up with the news will keep you informed and may even point out other avenues for advancement in your career. The higher you climb, the greater your salary can become.

Stay in Good Shape

Your family and company depend on you to show up for work every day. This means you need to put in the extra effort to stay healthy. Are you still carrying around extra pounds your doctor wants you to shed? Lose them. Are you eating the right foods? Make the switch. Are you sticking to routine physical checkups? You should.

Even though your job can be physically demanding, that doesn’t mean you should skip out on exercise. Look for ways to work different muscle groups at the gym. Some good old-fashioned cardio exercise sessions never hurt. Additionally, don’t ignore all the benefits you will get from proper rest. Maintaining a healthy sleep cycle will help everything else fall into place.

Find Strong Insurance

Part of planning your financial future should include acquiring a strong insurance policy. There are many decent income protection policies that can help in the case of a temporary injury. You can also buffer your pension plan by consulting with a financial planner and looking for other investment opportunities. Remember, you’re looking at the long term when it comes to your investments. This means a steady return will go a long way towards improving your personal bottom line.

The hard work of finding a job is over. Now, make your efforts count by turning that job into a solid and rewarding career.

 

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Could You be a Company Leader?

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be a company leaderCould You be a Company Leader?

Shakespeare wrote in his play Twelfth Night that when it comes to “greatness” some are born with it, some achieve it, and others have it thrust upon them. This concept can apply to the leadership roles within companies. Maybe you have a supervisor who is a natural born leader, someone who is a quick problem solver, and is respected by their employees and peers. Some people become leaders because they found themselves in the right place at the right time, were promoted and rose to meet the challenge. Either way, a leader is someone who needs to be flexible, personable, and decisive.

The question is, do you have what it takes to become the next company leader at your job?

There are plenty of freshly scrubbed, business management grads that would be a huge asset to a business. However, these untested supervisors really wouldn’t be able to “hit the ground running.” There would still be a learning curve required as they acclimate themselves to their new work environment.

On the other hand, pulling a team member up from the ranks makes a lot of sense for a company. This is usually someone who has already stepped up and gotten themselves noticed. You’re not going to find yourself being eyed for a promotion if your bosses don’t even know your capabilities.

How can you get noticed on the job? Increased productivity in your sector is always helpful. However, you can also step up for roles outside of your current position, such as participating in the company’s charity drive or joining the steering committee. Yes, this will mean putting in extra hours, but you’ll be noticed by the bosses for your efforts and that’s what counts.

Acquiring additional skill sets is also something you’ll want to focus on if you hope to impress upper management and become a company leader. If you’re moving from the assembly line to the corner office, then you’re going to be deploying an entirely different range of equipment. You’ll have to become familiar with all the scheduling, accounting, and communication software used by your company. Get yourself ready by finding out what systems are currently being used and take courses to familiarize yourself with their operation.

Being a team player is another vital component of becoming noticed as a leader. Not only should you be getting along with your coworkers, you should also strive to become the “go-to” problem solver in your work area. Experience also matters. To that end, it will be helpful if you can familiarize yourself with all aspects of the company. A true leader isn’t going to stay in their comfort zone. Instead, they will branch out and take on new challenges.

At some point, you’ll have to declare your intentions for a promotion. When you understand the management structure of your company, you’ll know where you can fit in. You could even consider taking one of your supervisors out for a coffee to discuss the possibility of your advancement. The moment you put them on notice about your intentions, they’ll be watching your progress.

It’s time to step up.

 

 

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Buyers Guide: Tablets for Farmers

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tablets for farmersAs technology advances, farmers are stepping up to take advantage of all the new equipment and applications. For farmers, a tablet makes for a handy device. Its size makes it more practical than a Smartphone, yet easier to carry around than a laptop. With a tablet, a farmer can tap into all kinds of valuable resources and current information. They’ll be able to get up to date weather reports and trending farm prices. The issue might not be, “does a farmer need a tablet?” but rather “which tablet should they buy?”

There are many styles of tablets to pick from; the differences mainly come down to the operating systems. Here you’ll have three options: Windows, iOS or Android. Before choosing your tablet, look into which operating system works best for your circumstances. Continue reading to see the differences between the various options between tablets for farmers.

Apple iOS

iOS is the operating system used exclusively on all Apple products including the iPad. For someone who is already using an iPhone, adapting to the iPad is a snap. The exact same features, apps, and systems are used across both platforms.

The iPad Air sells for $499. That is for a Wi-Fi only unit with 16 GB of memory. It’s a very smooth system to operate, with few complaints from its legion of users. It is especially adept at loading desktop-only websites, an important feature for any work related sites you hope to use while on the job.

Because of the “competition factor,” you won’t be able to load Microsoft Office onto your iPad. However, there is a wide range of work-around apps that can deliver the exact same capacity of creating and editing documents. Best of all, when you email those documents they are automatically converted to a Word file. iPad is also the top selling tablet out there; this means you’re sure to find other iPad users and a wide range of online forums and websites that can provide helpful hints. Of course, there is always the “genius bar” standing by to offer support.

Windows 8

If you’re already a big fan of Microsoft products, then it makes sense to stick with the Windows operating system for your tablet choice. Although the touch screens look a lot like the Apple and Android pads, you’ll find that you’ll be able to upload and adapt your Microsoft Office programs rather effortlessly. This means you can utilize Outlook, Word, and Excel from any Wi-Fi hotspot. There are also hundreds of applications available in the online Windows Store that can be of huge benefit for the working farmer.

The most popular Windows tablet is their Microsoft Surface 2 model, which comes fully loaded with Microsoft Office. The Surface Pro 2 edition of the tablet is the next step up in technology and price. It can serve as a de facto laptop, but is double the price of the Surface 2.

Android

Google, the world’s leading search engine, has gotten into the tablet game with its Android operating system. You’ll find this operating system being used on tablets manufactured by Samsung and Asus. Android is considered an open source type of software. This means that certain manufacturers can produce an inferior tablet model and load it with Android. This puts them in the tablet arena, but means you need to do your research so you don’t select a lower end device. This is why you should be wary of Android tablets selling for under $200. The best pick for Android is the Samsung Note 10.1 tablet. A favorite feature of this table is the S Pen which lets you write out a note with the stylus pen, then converts your writing into a text. You’ll also find a decent lineup of apps to use with this system.

If you’re buying a farmer a tablet as a gift, see if they are already using certain apps on their Smartphone or computer. You’ll want to make sure you gift them with a tablet that supports those apps. This will ensure that your farmer friend won’t have any complications putting their new tablet to work. Whatever system you go with, for yourself or for a friend, you can be certain that the many features of a tablet will be beneficial and helpful for work; while the convenience and variety of apps will make for plenty of fun.

Mainland Machinery Ltd

“Access To Market” Oil Sands Infographic

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“Access To Market” Oil Sands Infographic

“A recent report by Canaccord Genuity suggests that the Keystone XL Pipeline, once thought to make or break getting Alberta oil to new and expanded markets, may no longer be necessary” 

This sentence alone is enough to grab anyone’s attention. Amid all the ongoing questions and concerns on both sides of the border around Keystone, Oilweek takes a moment to look at the entirety of the Oil Sands industry. Breaking down various industry and government stats, and laid out in an eye-pleasing infographic, this post by Oilweek is worth the read.

A great refresher or introduction for those new to the Oil Sands, the post concisely summarizes the  Oil Sands opportunity and the growing need for more pipeline & rail, while still noting possible concerns such routes raise.

To view the Oil Sands Infographic “Access to Markets”, click here.