Roots on The Rock
Alvie Monilla is a Newfoundlander through and through, but ‘The Rock’ wasn’t always home. Alvie was born 12,500 kilometres away, on one of a group of sprawling islands—an archipelago—that makes up the Philippines. When they were 11, they made a life-changing move, and Alvie remembers immediately loving life on this very different island.
“It’s peaceful here. It’s really quiet. I really appreciate that about this place.”
Alvie’s dad moved ahead to Newfoundland and got work cleaning houses, and later sponsored the family to come over. In Canada, their mom also worked in cleaning and as a personal support worker for years before she got a job, like many Newfoundlanders, on the offshore oil rigs.
Alvie cherishes the peaceful and tranquil lifestyle that comes with living in St. John’s, Newfoundland. (All photos courtesy of Daniel Griffin)
Gettin’ On in Hard Times
Before Alvie’s mom got a job on the rigs, the family worked hard to pay the mortgage and maintain basic cars, and buy food essentials. As a teenager, Alvie couldn’t afford extra activities like concerts. But since their mom started working on the rigs, the family’s financial situation has improved. Their fridge and pantry are full, they’ve upgraded their vehicles, taken Alvie’s younger sibling to concerts, and invested in three more houses, bringing their total to four.
“It’s about the money that she’s making. Ever since she started working there, my family has been able to afford a lot more,” says Alvie. “They’re able to buy whatever they like despite the price.”
The work is not always easy, however, and Alvie’s mom can work up to a month-long stint on a rig—a contained offshore environment in the Atlantic—which can be challenging. But the work offers more financial stability than any other work she’s had before, so she plans to hang in there.
Alvie says that many people on the island struggle with finding employment.
“I had to go through many different jobs to get a nice, steady job. It was frustrating. I kept getting jobs where at first I genuinely enjoyed the work, but then it devolved into a situation where I was pushing myself to my limits and that still wasn’t enough.”
Today, Alvie works as a baker at St. John’s Birdie, waking up early for their 12-hour shift of making desserts, mixing dough, and decorating treats. They enjoy the physical nature of the job, including the heavy lifting, and take pride in seeing customers enjoy the products they create.
Hard work is a core value for Alvie, and they take great pride in contributing as a baker at the bakery where they work.
To Rig or Not to Rig
Alvie loves their job, but they are also aware that working for the local oil and gas industry could provide a good quality of life for them. Recently their mom asked them if they wanted a job on the rigs.
“I was tempted because when you work in the oil and gas industry you make a lot of money. I was a little hard up for money, so was tempted to join her,” Alvie says.
Alvie doesn’t believe the oil and gas industry is doing enough for the province to justify working on the rigs, no matter the pay. While it’s not an easy decision, Alvie feels it’s the right one.
“A lot of people here have families and relatives in oil and gas. The amount of money that comes into the household… Nothing else offers anywhere close to that. As much as I appreciate my mother’s job and how [the rigs] offer jobs to people, it’s not great for the environment, economy, and everything.”
Although Alvie was initially attracted by the financial security offered by working on the rigs, in the end, they trusted their instincts and turned it down.
When it Rains, It Pours
Alvie is unsure about the future of the oil and gas industry in the province, especially in the face of climate change and the rising cost of living.
Since moving to Newfoundland as a child, Alvie has noticed many changes on the island.
“When I initially came here, we got snow in October. But this October was temperate, over 10 degrees. I was like, ‘oh, this is the effects of climate change,’” says Alvie. “It’s extreme weather when it is just rain, rain for the whole month of November.”
Alvie admits the situation is unnerving, and worries about floods and storms after experiencing extreme weather events like Snowmageddon in January 2020.
“I’m scared and unsure of what’s to come. Because if it’s like this now, how bad can it get? Especially if we don’t change anything. I anticipate extreme weather.”
Rising summer heat is also a concern.
“Some years ago it was 32 degrees and that was an all-time record high for Newfoundland, and now every summer it is at least 30 degrees.”
Government inaction after these unnatural weather events frustrates Alvie.
“The government acts like climate change is not real, they’re still doing things as if nothing is wrong. Nobody wants to acknowledge that the government’s not doing anything about it.”
Alvie worries about floods and storms: “I’m scared and unsure of what’s to come. Because if it’s like this now, how bad can it get? Especially if we don’t change anything.”
A Call for Change
Unnatural disasters caused by climate change are already threatening the way of life in Newfoundland. New offshore oil development will only make it worse.
“Oil and gas is so volatile. The gas industry has a chokehold on the government and the economy because everything relies on it. It’s a very oil and gas-dependent place,” says Alvie.
Transitioning away from one single industry will mean investing in a diversity of good-paying jobs that will take care of Newfoundlanders today and for the long term.
“I don’t think that we should be relying on oil and gas to move forward,” says Alvie. “We could be spending those resources on researching energy alternatives that are more renewable and stable.”
Alvie believes that if enough people come together and demand a better balance for people and nature, we can have good jobs for Newfoundlanders and address the root causes of climate change. Alvie hopes their neighbours will stand up for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, and tell their MHA to stop new offshore oil and gas projects.
“I truly hope that we will get to a better place where everybody is thinking ‘maybe we can actually find something better together.’”
With neighbouring Nova Scotia recently announcing they will no longer issue new oil and gas exploration licenses, Newfoundlanders like Alvie have an opportunity to build on this momentum.
