Mt. Polley Restart a “Huge Relief” says Williams Lake Mayor
Williams Lake, B.C. – “It’s a huge relief.”
The reaction of Williams Lake Mayor Walt Cobb to the announced restricted restart of Mount Polley mine this week.
“It’s great. As far as I was concerned it was long overdue but I guess there’s a process that has to be followed to make sure it’s done and done properly,” he says. “But it was really good news, not only for me but for the many unemployed as well as the business community.”
Cobb says the announcement likely kept many area businesses from shutting down.
“I’m told some of the smaller businesses that depended on the mine did not put in their fall orders because if this didn’t go forward they were probably going to close their doors.”
The restart of the mine will also be felt in the neighbouring community of 100 Mile House.
“It (Mt. Polley) employs close to 30 people. 30 employees that were laid off when that shut down, so that’s a lot of people in the small community we are,” says 100 Mile House Mayor Mitch Campsall. “It’s a good start, we’ve got progress, that’s the main thing.”
United Steelworkers local 1-425 president Paul French agrees the restricted restart was “a good news announcement,” but says despite that it will still leave a huge portion of the mine’s workforce unemployed.
“We’re over 200 people still unemployed. Hopefully in 30-40 days we’ll have up to 200 back,” he says. “In its heyday of last July (prior to the breach) there were close to 400 people working on that site.”
French says many of those workers “are running out of EI benefits” and have “got mortgages to pay” and as a result some have already left town.
“Undoubtedly some have left. I mean you can only hang around for so long.”
But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have hope moving forward.
“It’s really unfortunate they’re not bringing everybody back but that’s why we’ll keep the pressure on the mine to make sure their submissions for future permits are good.”
Comments
Wow, 30 people employed, I wonder how many millions of dollars Williams Lake and 100 Mile House will miss out on as thousands of tourists avoid the area because of the internationqal, and national, press coverage of one of the world’s largest environmental disasters?
Next time I travel through Williams Lake, and I am thirsty, I will be buying bottled water as I will drink nothing local. Better safe than sorry is my moto!
Hey Sage the eco babble has been quiet since your world class environmental disaster happened.
The salmon in the area are the biggest ever seen and are doing very well.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/mount-polley-mine-spill-fish-safe-to-eat-water-ban-mostly-lifted-1.2734952
http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/2015/05/05/jumbo-salmon-found-near-mt-polley-site
But of course the caveat about the metals is thrown with no information for back up.
Sophic, you do realize that Quesnel Lake drains into the Quesnel River, which then flows in a north-westerly direction to Quesnel and into the Fraser River, don’t you?
The Fraser then flows south, passing by Williams Lake which is several miles east and uphill from the Fraser!
I guess with global warming, rivers are now flowing uphill!
By the way, buying bottled water is contributing to global warming! After all, the bottles are made from petroleum products!
Also, as a die-hard greenie, you should already be aware that most municipal water is treated under far greater water quality standards than bottled water!
So, next time that you are driving through Williams Lake and you are thirsty, don’t be a hypocrite, go ahead and take a swig from the tap!
Don’t forget to say “Cheers” when you do!
I’m also wondering Sophie, what mode of transportation will you be using when next you travel through Williams Lake?
Will it be bicycle, horse back, donkey and cart, or will you lace up the good old hiking boots.
Obviously you won’t be driving your Chevy Spark EV! After all, even though you mentioned that you had one, they aren’t available in Canada and they are only available in select U.S.A markets! I guess that you were just trying to appear “greener” than you actually are, haha!
I also would’nt be eating any fish that comes from that toxic area, and will be avoiding eating any wild game meat from that area as well. Feel sorry for the residents, I hear the effects of the toxic tailings pond spill will last in perpetuity (forever).
Ok, so you WILL be drinking the water as you pass through Williams Lake?
You will? You won’t?
Can’t keep up with your flip flops Sophie!
You do have a Chevy Spark EV? You don’t have a Chevy Spark EV?
Flip flop, flip flop!
You’re losing what’s left of your fading credibility! Going, going, gone!
Sage just think with that hot weather we think of all the dust blowing around laden with toxic material from the mine. You could be breathing it in right now. Oh wait no story, the eco rabble went home.
Now with the glow in the dark salmon I hear the bears are now night fishing.
I just saw a picture of a guy standing beside beaver tracks crossing the grey muck that is the tailings pond material, that contains high levels of arsenic, mercury, zinc, lead and selenium. No doubt all animals, fish and bird, even insects, are filling themselves with this toxic crap.
In would not want to injest anything from that area.
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