OBAC Hires Firm For Mining Strategy

By 250 News

The Omineca Beetle Action Coalition has hired the firm DPRA Canada to help develop a Minerals and Mining Strategy for the OBAC region.  DPRA is a Canadian consulting firm with offices in VIctoria, Yellowknife, Toronto, Ottawa and Burlington. DPRA  says when it comes to  consulting, it has three goals

1.  to contribute to the sustainability and enhancement of socially viable communities,
2. improve corporate environmental responsibility and
3. support organizations to manage transition and change.

OBAC expects to complete the Minerals and Mining Strategy by late March 2008 but OBAC says it isn’t going to  wait for the strategies to be finalized tp take action.

Following on the heels of the Minerals Summit held in September and responding to individual communities’ interest in this topic, OBAC is convening an Action Group to work with DPRA Canada and OBAC,  to help guide further development of the Minerals and Mining Strategy during the next few months.

During the Summit, OBAC learned that at least 8 advanced mineral development projects in Northern BC estimate  they will need 2,500 workers if and when the mines are developed and most are committed to regional hiring.  

That demand  is  great news for the School of Exploration and Mining at Northwest Community College headquartered in Smithers.  It has waiting lists of people looking for courses to help them land these jobs. Christine O’Gryzlo represents the program and says the results of the Exploration and Mining School is outstanding. 85% of the graduates of the early programs got jobs upon graduation and 60% of those  graduates are of First Nations.

The program trains people to work as driller helpers, in mining exploration field assessment, basic and advanced prospecting, first aid, camp management, core technician and environmental sampling and site assessment. O’Gryzlo says the future success of the program is based on the partnerships being built today between industry, high schools, post secondary, First Nations and other agencies.

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