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If the Canadian federal government says no to Taskeo Mines’ New Prosperity copper mine, they and the British Columbia provincial government can kiss goodbye a combined $700 million tax boost every year for twenty years, writes Philip Hochstein in the Vancouver Sun.
The gold-copper project in northern British Columbia initially raised the ire of environmentalists and First Nations groups for the proposed destruction of Fish Lake to be used as a tailings impoundment. A provincial environmental assessment process approved the project a few years back, but the federal government’s review then rejected the proposal late in 2010.
Taseko’s revised plan includes an additional $300 million in capital investment to limit the mine’s environmental impact, notably the preservation of Fish Lake, and the company is optimistic that the federal government will this time give a green light.
New Prosperity, for example, would generate $11 billion worth of gross domestic product over 20 years. That’s enough money to have paid for all of these projects combined: The Canada Line, new SkyTrain Line, four lane the Cariboo connector highway, the new Port Mann Bridge and Highway 1 widening, South Fraser perimeter road, Vancouver Convention Centre, three major urban hospital expansions, seven elementary schools and 12 MRI machines. That’s how much economic activity New Prosperity represents and that is what we are saying no to when we decide to oppose a mine that would be built and operated to the highest mining standards in the world.
When you live and work in Metro Vancouver or Greater Victoria, it’s easy to ignore the impact of mining, but the British Columbia mining story is exceptional. There is no industry in B.C. right now that has the potential to contribute more to our economy and improve the way of life here than mining, because few industries can create wealth out of raw resources as mining does. And yes, I mean improve life and create wealth in the big cities too.
Right now there are five proposed mines, including New Prosperity and six mines undergoing major expansion in this province. British Columbians need them all. LNG is an exciting potential economic engine for our province but the old engines have served us well and will continue to do so far into the future.
If it were not for projects like New Prosperity that require thousands of construction, planning, operational, and support jobs, the alternative is higher taxes and fewer services. This would directly impact our quality of life, everywhere. So the next time we are upset because the government can’t provide services we desperately need or see a story on the news about someone who has fallen through the cracks caused by a lack of money, we should remember that we can say yes to a new mine and put that new money to good use for all of us.
Mining’s future is now. Our need is now.
Read Hochstein’s article in full here.
Public gathers for hearing | Photos provided by Peak Communicators PR firm.
7 Comments
Emerson Hopfmann
Government is out of control at all levels.
Jackson
Built and operated to the highest mining standards in the WORLD,that is what Taseko promises and that is what they will deliver,look at their Gibralter operation.
Chris Armstrong
First class all the way! A tremendous benefit to BC. Right up there
with the superb, gigantic, hardrock, Highland Valley Mines and
Gibraltar Mine, adding to BC’s economic resource prosperity.
frankinca
Have been following for three years and Taseko’s efforts seem to be genuine. The opposition are not locals put environmentalists who can’t stand any changes. Not sure if BC would like the increased income to do more social projects, but I believe there would be an overall benefit for the people if this project is approved.
lldouce
Lets all go to work. We need this mine in BC for many reasons.
moralist1
Time for the environmentalists/government bureaucrats and the First Nations people to be less emotional and learn to understand that only economic growth drives Western civilization forward to provide the creature comforts that the majority of humans want and desire. Cooperation works much better than antagonism. The environment will be controlled with stringent regulations and economic activities will provide taxation and high paying jobs. Make it happen
CDNJoe2
My first good job was in mining over 30 years ago. Worked for a Taseko mine and have been out to the Fish Lake area too. The problem I have is that Taseko’s operation didn’t impress me one bit. It was badly managed and dysfunctional. Anyone that wanted to improve the operation was shut down and shown the door. Their focus was the bottom line and keeping regulators off their back. While head office did eventually move to clean house, they only got rid of those managers that embarrassed them or didn’t follow their orders. The corporate culture was left intact!
Mining industry studies predict that most of our major metal resources will be depleted within the next 100 years. Those that claim we have to “use it now or loose it forever” are selfish short term thinkers. They leave nothing for our children, or our children’s children. Resources are lost only if we loose control of them. They are the money in the bank that we leave for a future generation. We all but wiped out our renewable resources, like fish and forests. Lets think twice about those that are finite.
Government and business tell me every day that I need to make due with less. Now it is their turn. If I don’t go to work, I don’t eat. Harper doesn’t go to work and he still gets paid from my taxes. Taseko is only paying taxes by selling off our children’s resources to other countries and then taking a fat profit.
Time to take a breath, leave some money in the ground and let our children decide what, when and how to best use it.