RED DEER, Alta. - A former Alberta oilsands worker has been charged with extortion.

Mounties allege an employee of Baker Hughes Oil demanded and received money from a subcontractor to ensure Baker Hughes would continue to use the subcontractor's services.

RCMP say the alleged extortion happened between January 2006 and March 2010.

Thirty-seven-year-old David Griffith of Balzac, is scheduled to appear in Red Deer provincial court on Nov. 27.

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  • Total Jobs

    If unhindered, it's estimated that expected investment in the oilsands will result in 100,000 new jobs a year for the next 13 years, either directly or in companies supplying goods and services.

  • Alberta Reaps

    As much as 54% of the benefits accrued from ongoing investments in the Alberta oilsands will stay in Alberta.

  • Ontario Gets Its Share

    Within Canada, the biggest winner outside Alberta is Ontario, which is expected to benefit from 10,000 new jobs per year.

  • B.C. Gets A Little Smaller Share

    British Columbia comes next with approximately 5,400 new jobs per year. Alberta and B.C. are currently locked in a fight surrounding the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline, which would carry bitumen from the Alberta oilsands to the B.C. coast for shipping to Asian markets.

  • The Prairies

    The prairies would gain 2,700 new jobs per year.

  • Quebec

    Quebec would benefit from approximately 2,500 new jobs a year.

  • Atlantic Canada

    Atlantic Canada can expect to see approximately 530 jobs a year, says the study.

  • The Rest Of The World

    Other countries will reap approximately 27 per cent of the benefits from continued, expected investment in the oilsands. In the U.S., 8,300 jobs a year

  • The U.S.

    The biggest benefactor of continued investment in the oilsands outside Alberta would be the U.S., with 8,300 new jobs being created each year.But the benefits for the U.S. extend beyond mere jobs alone.