Likely, B.C. – There are 300  Mt. Polley Mine workers  on the job  this week.  Some have  been working on the development of the pipeline that is now carrying Polley Lake water around the blockage of its normal outflow, others are building a dyke to stop the flow of tailings into  Hazeltine Creek.   While that dyke work is expected to take at least two more weeks to complete,   the employment future beyond that repair and cleanup work is not known as the future of the mine is not known.

United Steelworkers Local 1-425 President Paul French says lay off notices have been issued to some of the workers “All the temporary workers,  those who were on for the summer have  been let go, pretty much all of the contractors are gone,   the mill guys are gone.”

French says not knowing the future of the mine has caused mixed emotions “First you  go through shock , then you go through fear,  and right now we’re still in the shock stage.  People are just grateful that they’re working, we’re just basically caught in limbo because we have no idea what will come down from the Ministries.”

A Community Transition Manager from the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training is expected to be in Williams Lake today, to work with the Local 1-425  in coordinating support and gathering information. “We’re trying to get a head start on everything just  in case the worst case scenario happens” says French “Right now we don’t know what’s going to happen.  The Ministry has been very cooperative with us, the Premier has actually given us good words, so we’re going to try and hold them to it.”   The info will focus on the impacts to workers and the community and the services available.

This week, WorkBC Employment Services Centre will be mobilized in the region.  WorkBC helps connect people with skills training and employment opportunities. There is already work underway to determine the best way to connect with workers who have been impacted.

With positive water quality results  from Polley Lake,  Imperial Metals have started pumping water from that lake around the blockage and back into  Hazeltine Creek where it will flow into Quesnel Lake. The quality of Quesnel Lake  at the hazeltine Creek outflow will be  tested daily.

The  water  use ban remains in effect for  residents along Mitchell Bay  north to where the Lake shallows as it enters Quesnel River.

The portable showers for residents and tourists in the Likely area opened yesterday  at 5989 Cedar Creek Road in Likely.  They will be open daily from 7 am to 7 pm.