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Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Volume 95 - No. 51
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www.ldnews.net
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$1.30 GST inc.
BURNS LAKE
LAKES DISTRICT NEWS
Burns Lake Band signs agreement with Coastal GasLink
Details of the agreements are “confidential,” says Coastal GasLink FLAVIO NIENOW
TransCanada recently announced that its Coastal GasLink Pipeline project has signed long-term project agreements with the Burns Lake Band. These agreements outline financial and other benefits and commitments for as long as the pipeline project is in service. However, specific details of the agreement are “confidential,” according to Shela Shapiro, a Spokesperson for Coastal GasLink. Burns Lake Band Chief Dan George has also not disclosed how much money the Burns Lake Band will be making out of this agreement. This wasn’t the first deal signed with Coastal GasLink in the area. In December 2014, Wet’suwet’en First Nation (WFN) signed an agreement with the province to support the Coastal GasLink Pipeline project. Since then, WFN has faced continuous opposition from some Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs. Chief George said he realizes that some people might be against liquefied natural gas (LNG) development in the region, but he says forestry has been “way more devastating.” “It’s important to us to find ways to ...see BURNS LAKE BAND ▼ P3
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What happened to Endako Mine employees?
FLAVIO NIENOW Almost a year has passed since the Endako Mine was placed on temporary suspension due to a continued weakness in the molybdenum market. Over 300 employees have lost their jobs since Dec. 31, 2014. According to Pamela Solly, a Spokesperson at Thompson Creek Metals - company that holds a 75 per cent interest in the Endako Mine, the mine has retained 11 employees to carry out its care and maintenance and environmental obligations. Mining and milling activities have been discontinued, and the mine still maintains the idle plant, machinery and equipment. Before the suspension was in effect, however, the
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mine employed 347 employees. So what happened to those employees? The Village of Fraser Lake does not have any statistics on how many Endako Mine workers were able to find other jobs, so Lakes District News spoke with Robin Work, General Manager at Progressive Employment Services. Work and his team were involved in efforts to find employment for displaced workers from Endako Mine. According to Work, some employees have gone to other mines - both in and out of B.C. – while some have changed industries completely. However, Work says there is no accurate data on the number of employees that were able to regain employment elsewhere. ...see ENDAKO MINE ▼ P5
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Phone: 250.692.1700 • Fax: 250.692.1750 • Toll Free: 1.866.692.1943 545 Highway 16 West • PO Box 5000, Burns Lake, BC • V0J 1E0 Email: lksdist@cnc.bc.ca • Website: www.cnc.bc.ca/lakesdistrict