Celebrating Mining BC Week 2016 was the theme for the Sparwood Chamber of Commerce’s annual mining week luncheon at the Causeway Bay Hotel Emerald Room on Friday, May 13, 2016 from noon till two pm.
About 100 people attended this important event including the mayors from all three communities, Cal McDougall, Mary Giuliano, Dean McKerracher and their council members, Area A director Mike Sosnowski as well as MLA Bill Bennett and wife Beth Bennett, his assistant Heather Smith, Teck’s VP Development Coal Larry Davey and Alec Morrison from BC Mining Suppliers Association.

The event began at 11:30 with a hosted bar, wine and cheese reception provided by the Mining Suppliers with lunch following.

Chamber manager and organizer of the occasion Norma McDougall was MC; she welcomed everyone and introduced the invited guests.

Mayor McDougall welcomed everybody and Alec Morrison brought greetings from the BC Mining Suppliers Association.

Teck’s Larry Davey provided a very informative presentation touching on safety not only on the job but also as employees drive home. He said Teck employees 10,000 people and is the largest company in Canada.
Teck produces copper, zinc, steelmaking coal, wind turbine energy and in 2017 oil production will be added. Teck has put ten million dollars in community investment and it was noted that this present down cycle is more severe than what has been experienced in the past.

In 2013 five steelmaking companies were in production today Teck is the only one left. Although the company is generating well below capacity in 2016 it is well positioned for when the markets improve. Minister of Energy and Mines and MLA Bill Bennett was the keynote speaker. He said the government can help when mining is down by turning permits around to a 55 day time frame so that companies won’t lose their investment and commented that BC is a powerhouse for mining investment. He then spoke about the selenium issue citing that a few years ago there was talk of closing down the mines in the Elk Valley to alleviate the selenium problem. He said he spoke against this as this reason made no sense. If the mines aren’t producing coal, where will the jobs be, who will fund the clean-up, who is left to make sure the problem is worked on? What is really in the public interest he asked? Instead he asserted that the mines needed to remain open for the above reasons so that the company would have money to clean up the problem and today millions have been invested in a water treatment plant at Line Creek with nine more such plants being planned for the future.

The lunch ended with a mention of Sparwood’s 50th anniversary celebration and an invitation to attend the festivities during Coal Miner Days.

Congratulations Sparwood, here’s to many more years of prosperity.