Rustad Says Burns Lake Will Rise Up
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 @ 5:21 AM
Prince George, B.C. – Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad says he has no doubt whatsoever that the Burns Lake area will rebound from the devastating events that led to the temporary shutdown of the town’s major employer.
An explosion and massive fire levelled the sawmill at Babine Forest Products on January 20th, killing two workers and sending 19 others to hospital with varying degrees of injury. Rustad says “it’s been a very tough start to the year and the disaster at Babine has created a real challenge for Burns Lake. But the people of my riding are so resilient and there’s so much strength. The surrounding communities have come together to try and help out. The people of Burns Lake have come together in a way that I think that perhaps has even surprised them. We’re going to get through this. There’s been a lot of good work done, companies have stepped up to the plate. We had a Jobs Fair just last week where we had about 30 companies representing more than 13-hundred job opportunities for people in Burns Lake, more than 400 of those are basically within an hour of Burns Lake. And so it’s really been a great effort across the north, not to mention what Rotary has done and many other groups in terms of the direct support for families and those impacted.”
Rustad says one of the other things that’s very encouraging is what Hampton Affiliates, the mill’s owner, has told him. He says “they’re very interested in re-building that facility. We’re working through some of the technical issues that we need to work on and I think Burns Lake will come through this and end up being a stronger place in a couple of years than it is today.”
Rustad also notes that his Nechako Lakes riding is one of the most resource-dependent in the province. He says about 40 percent of the activity is forestry, another 25 percent agriculture and the bulk is mining. He says mining has become a very significant component, with expansions currently underway at both Endako and Huckleberry. He says that’s going to extend the capacity and life of those mines. Rustad says all of that resource activity means economic activity and jobs.
Comments
Four Hundred jobs open one hour from Burns Lake??? get bloody real.There are jobs for sure but whats the point of exaggerating the numbers? this guys glueless walking around with a happy face on singing don’t worry be happy. Should have a reality check
What is a John Rustad? Is he the invisable MLA we seldom hear about?
Endako Mines expansion has been completed. They are now operating at full production, and the contractors etc; are moving on.
Not sure of the status of Huckleberry.
heard they are looking for people but don’t believe there is a camp so have to move or travel which is not an option when you can’t even sell your house.
Rustad says, But the people of my riding are so resilient and there’s so much strength.”
Well I guess so Mr Rustad we in your riding have had to survive in BC with absolutly no representation in Victoria since the inception of a John Rustad MLA, whatever that is!
Endako is far from complete… maybe another year of construction work to go. Only the first phase is complete. My old man is working on that job and their full crew will be there for a long time yet.
Need to be a qualified tradesman to get most of the work at Endako though….
Feb. 7th announcement by Thompson Creek Metals. States that the commissioning of the Companies new Endako mill is complete and that commercial production was achieved on February 1st. The mill is operating above its design capacity of 55000 tons per day. A 77% increase over the old mills capacity.
The construction of the regrind circuit for the new mill is still in process and is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2012.
This to me would indicate that the project is pretty well finished.
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