New Gold Winds Down Blackwater Camp
Wednesday, October 2, 2013 @ 3:58 AM
Vanderhoof, B.C.- With a couple of open houses on the horizon, and winter on the way, the folks at the New Gold, Blackwater mine site southwest of Vanderhoof, are winding down the camp operations. “We expect to have just a skeleton staff on site by Christmas time” says Tim Bekhuys, Director of Environment & Sustainability for New Gold.
The site has been active over the past several months as teams carried out “advanced exploration”. Bekhuys says that work has identified “A number of new targets”.
He says he expects the company will file for an environmental assessment early in the new year. That will start the process the company hopes will result in a mining permit being granted.
The proposed gold and silver mine would employ about 1500 people during the 2 year construction phase, and between 500 and 600 per year during the mine’s 17 year life span.
Despite the fact the price of gold has slipped lately ( down another $40 yesterday) Bekhuys says New Gold is confident the long term outlook for the price of gold is solid.
Although the work camp will be closing up for the winter, (regional exploration resuming in the spring) Bekhuys says the project office in Vanderhoof will remain open “We are 100% committed to this project moving forward” says Bekhuys.
New Gold has a public open house set for October 15th in Fraser Lake and on the 16th in Vanderhoof.
Comments
Equivalent to a third of the population of Vanderhoof working out there in the first two years. Could translate to a mini boom in the hoof.
Oh no Gus, A mini boom. Vanderhoof will become North Dakota. Better stop this now.
If this “boom” comes to fruition, people better brace themselves for the second Vanderhoof Tim Horton’s location that could come along with it. Talk about hitting the big time!
Hey, the timing of this could actually be perfect. It will employ all of the loggers who used to cut down living trees in the region. Oh wait a minute, that wouldn’t mean any additional jobs would it? So would that cancel out the “boom”?
On second thought, is it a sure thing that this development is going ahead in the first place? They mention “advanced exploration”, “expects to file for an environmental assessment” and “price of gold has slipped lately”. Hmmm, sounds like it’s in its infancy to me. Now of course, Northern BC has never seen any of these “hopes and dreams” type projects before have they?
So many questions, so few answers ;)
The project hasn’t even started and already vanderhoof is in a boom phase. Construction all over with the new Fountain Tire and the huge new Omineca Sports building going in along the highway and the new swimming pool coming online soon… all mills in the area are going full out with Plateau finally living up to its supermill status, and L&M as usually being one of the most stable and diversified mills in the North.
Vanderhoof and the Lakes District, but especially Vanderhoof are akin to a suburb of PG. Quesnel is a city of its own with all its own service providers (very little trade with PG), but Vanderhoof, Fort St James, Fraser Lake and such are essentially suburbs of PG at a fair distance away. If the highway was ever upgraded it would be a mere 45 minute commute.
Vanderhoof is far better situated to service pipeline expansion through the area than PG is as a central base of operations… they have far better agricultural land, and great land base for industrial development. The best thing Vanderhoof has going for it though is affordable housing, some of the lowest taxes in the North, and more sun than anywhere else in the North.
I think the boom is already underway, but add in a third of the population in new high paying jobs and we might hope to get carried along on their coat tails here in PG.
You forgot Vanderhoof’s other great benefit over PG – fewer potholes.
“I think the boom is already underway, but add in a third of the population in new high paying jobs and we might hope to get carried along on their coat tails here in PG”
Oh c’mon! There are more people employed at Northern Health in PG than LIVE in Vanderhoof. It’s great to see some economic development in Vanderhoof (I personally don’t believe what you describe is a boom), but let’s keep things in perspective just a little bit here ;)
Oh and the Vanderhoof area has some great fishing as well.
When the mine does eventually undergo construction and operation it will probably have a work camp. Less taxes for the company to pay. So this will just add to the more than 1,809 work camps operating in Northern BC.
No one, no government agency, even knows what the work camp population is in Northern BC, or which work camps are still open or closed.
It’s a free-for-all, with little economic return to any local small permanent communities. Mining companies are no longer interested in investing in those communities.
Just get in there, extract the resource, and get out while incurring the least amount of expenses possible.
You can read it all here:
http://tumblerridgenews.com/?p=11414
When the mine does eventually undergo construction and operation it will probably have a work camp. Less taxes for the company to pay. So this will just add to the more than 1,809 work camps operating in Northern BC.
No one, no government agency, even knows what the work camp population is in Northern BC, or which work camps are still open or closed.
It’s a free-for-all, with little economic return to any local small permanent communities. Mining companies are no longer interested in investing in those communities.
Just get in there, extract the resource, and get out while incurring the least amount of expenses possible.
You can read it all here:
http://tumblerridgenews.com/?p=11414
And they have better snow removal too.
“Mining companies are no longer interested in investing in those communities.”
Pretty ill informed statement.. Not only are they interested but they have to invest to retain a reliable work force. Perhaps you should attend a mining forum or mine rescue competition one day..
Oh my. NMG…you seem a little cranky towards your former residence today. But you hit on a note that is never spoken of in central BC. I don’t have the stats, but I’m guessing Northern Health is the largest employer in Prince George. Canfor might be #2 and then other government funded operations….( City, BC gov, aboriginal support services ) P.G. is a government funded city.
I can’t believe that I am sounding like Johny Belt, but hey….
Oh, and NMG, GO SENS !
northman states; “Pretty ill informed statement… Not only are they interested but they have to invest to retain a reliable workforce.”
Hmm… at the risk of sending you off on another outrage about “regurgitated second hand news” I submit this Charles Jago quote from a 250 news article as evidence:
“The impact of workcamps âIs an issue that is intriguing to usâ says Dr. Charles Jago, Chair of the Board of Directors for Northern Health . âYou have a high level of economic activity taking place and youâre not having commensurate community growth, in fact, these work camps may, or may not, be having a direct impact on adjacent or near distance communities. So weâre trying to understand that phenomena.â
blog/view/28679/1/work+camp+phenomenon++under+microscope
Times they are a changing folks, those of you who are speculating about a future boom in Vanderhoof, might want to hold off on that a bit, or crank that level of optimism down to a more realistic level… just saying.
A developer started a new subdivision in Fort St. James but after purchasing and clearing the site, put it in mothballs, the economic impacts of the Mount Milligan Mine is having little impact to Ft. St. James.
I would believe Charles Jago over your your “expert local knowledge any day of the week northman, sorry no offence.
Intriguing People #1, I might have to work in BC’s central interior, but because we have air travel, my family , and my life, can be somewhere more desirable.
Take the most posted fellow on 250 for example, he spends his weekends in Watcom County Washington, and he is retired.
Workcamps in many cases are more practical, but don’t underestimate the value to these communities People#1. This project isn’t pie in the sky, the last resource estimate was close to 10 million ounces AU I believe. I had a beer with a purchasing manager a year ago and there policy will be to buy locally if it is within 20% of sourcing from down south. That will impact the Hoof and PG.
We will see what the impact is but it looks good long term.
Ding, ding, ding… ladies and gentlemen we have a winner! The best of both worlds middle finger, a nice house and family down south for a full week, work up here in camp for a full week!
It’s a changing labour force called fly in-fly out (fifo), bus in – bus out (bibo), or drive in – drive out (dido). Get use to these terms people, you are going to be hearing about them a lot!
A recent Northern Health background briefing, on the whole issue of worker camps and their impacts to health and social services, reviewed Australia experience with the work camp impact phenomena.
Here is why:
http://www.acelg.org.au/upload/program5/1336624408_ACELG_Scoping_Study_FIFO_May_2012.pdf
Perhaps our Liberal Government can conduct a similar study as this Australian one? It might explain why year after year for the past 13 years this government keeps saying we are “well positioned” we are “poised” for the coming economic boom. A boom that never seems to come… despite all this “increased economic activity”!
People#1, you must be sooooo much fun at a party!!
Depends Hart Guy… if it’s a sheeple party, I wouldn’t be much fun at all.
Now if it’s a party for free minded / free thinking people, I would be a real hit. Add a bit of wine… all bets are off ;-)
middle: “I don’t have the stats, but I’m guessing Northern Health is the largest employer in Prince George. Canfor might be #2 and then other government funded operations….( City, BC gov, aboriginal support services ) P.G. is a government funded city.
I can’t believe that I am sounding like Johny Belt, but hey….”
Hey, when you’re right, you’re right! ;-)
As for People#1, well it’s the same old diatribe from him/her. He/she knows virtually nothing about resource industries, other than what he/she reads on the CBC website and other such sources.
I’m thinking that if I was at the same party as People#1, it would be me having a bit of wine. Actually I would probably have to have a lot of wine in order to suffer through his/her never-ending expert dialogue!
Sheesh!
Too many sheeple on this site Hart Guy, it was only a matter of time before someone showed up and questioned the Liberal status quo.
By the way the School District employs more 2,100 teachers and support staff. They may well be the City’s largest employer.. hey JB I didn’t even have to refer to a CBC website, but I did check the SD 57 website to get that number… is that ok with you and everyone else?
As for Hart Guy, if we were at the same party, how about you stay sober and I finish off a couple of bottles of wine before we start conversing on the same level?
Your a legend in your own mind People. If we were at a party, it would take 5 minutes to debate you down to size. Why is pompous arrogance the calling card of leftards?
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