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Pipeline builder TransCanada Corp. has confirmed it laid off 185 people — most stationed in Calgary — from its major projects department on Tuesday morning in a bid to cut costs and improve efficiency.

The move is the first significant confirmed layoff by a midstream company in Calgary this year although large-scale layoffs have become common among producers and oilfield services companies as capital budgets are squeezed by low oil and gas prices.

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“This morning 185 workers within the major projects department were advised that their positions have been eliminated,” noted TransCanada spokesman Mark Cooper in an e-mail reply to a Herald inquiry.

“This includes approximately 100 full-time employees (the remainder are contractors) who have been advised that their positions have been eliminated.”

Cooper said the bulk of the positions being eliminated are in Calgary although the department has employees throughout North American operations. He said the job cuts are part of a restructuring “designed to ensure we move forward with our $46-billion capital growth plan in a way that meets the needs of our customers, while allowing TransCanada (TSX:TRP) to remain competitive and deliver incremental value for our shareholders.”