Prince George, BC – The scope of a group tasked with coming up with a human resource strategy for the BC mineral and mining industry has been expanded to look at the skills needed for underground mining.

Controversy erupted last fall over the issuance of 200 temporary foreign worker permits to Chinese workers to allow them to work a coal mine near Tumbler Ridge. Two labour unions took HD Mining to court over the matter, disputing company claims there were not enough skilled workers here to do the job. The matter is still before the courts. Meantime, a judicial review of Ottawa’s decision to issue the permits is set to begin next month.

Yesterday, the province announced it is providing an additional $25-thousand dollars to the BC Mining Human Resource Task Force under the joint federal-provincial Labour Market Development Agreement.  The Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Ministry says the funding will be used to include an underground miner occupational analysis and skills development component.  BC Mining HR Task Force Chair, David Basowski, says, "The task force is well positioned to undertake this work, as it fits the mandate and other initiatives that will foster access to jobs in the various components of the mining sector in BC."

With a 228-percent growth in employment in the industry over the past decade, the President and CEO of the Mining Association of BC, Karina Brino, says, "It is often difficult for mining operations to find a reliable, local labour supply, in particular for jobs that require specialized training and skills."

Brino says this initiative is an opportunity to train British Columbians to be ready to fill the need for underground miners in existing and proposed mines across the province.

The Liberal Government says it’s approved six major expansions of existing mines, three new mines are under construction, and two new mines have begun production in the 18-months since its BC Jobs Plan was released.