Likely, B.C. – Layoff notices have been sent out to workers at Mount Polley.

“What I can confirm is that they’ve been told to cease operations at the mill,” says United Steelworkers local 1-425 president Paul French.

“They (Imperial Metals) just came and told us they can’t carry the load of maintenance so they’re reducing those guys – anyone who’s not pertinent to the reclamation of the rebuild of the dam.”

He adds he doesn’t know how many workers have been laid off.

“I can’t speculate whether it’s 10 or 40, I don’t know what the number is. But it’s going to be fairly high and it’ll be mostly tradesmen.”

French admits the announcement caught him off guard.

“I’m a little bit surprised. They’ve applied for a permit to run (tailings) into the springer pit.”

(The springer pit is a temporary pit that would allow them to avoid the tailings storage facility).

The layoffs are the first since around 36 employees were laid off last November.