EDITORIAL — Local residents defend mine proposal — Who CARES? Atlin does

The small community of Atlin, perched in a remote corner of northwestern British Columbia, was established in 1898 during the Klondike gold rush. Gold seekers, on their way to Dawson City, were diverted to the Atlin region after news of a strike on Pine Creek, and the rugged wilderness was soon transformed into a bustling gold-rush community with a population of more than 10,000 people. A century later, the community’s few hundred remaining residents are looking to a new mine project to help diversify a local economy that still depends on seasonal placer gold mining.

Local residents, most of whom are keenly aware of the importance of mining to the town’s economic base, have formed an association called CARES — Concerned Atlin Residents for Economic Sustainability — to support Redfern Resources’ proposal to reopen the Tulsequah Chief mine, situated on the Tulsequah River just south of Atlin.

Operated by Cominco in the 1950s, Tulsequah Chief contains a valuable underground deposit of zinc, copper, lead, gold and silver. While most residents are in favor of the project, the mine proposal, which awaits final government approval, has been opposed by preservation-minded groups that consider it a threat to wildlife and the local ecosystem as a whole.

These groups are particularly concerned about Redfern’s proposal to build a 160-km gravel road from the mine site to Atlin. Some argue that once the road is constructed, some individuals will ignore the limited access arrangements and hunt along the corridor. Others fear the road will open up large tracts of forest to logging companies.

Redfern’s proposal is currently undergoing public review through the province’s environmental assessment process. The company has spent more than three years completing a detailed project evaluation report, which includes studies on wildlife, habitat, fisheries, hydrology, socioeconomic and cultural issues.

Because Atlin is a small community with no municipal government, many residents became concerned that their views would not be heard over the noise from large, well-financed environmental groups outside their community. CARES was formed in order to give residents a stronger voice.

The members of CARES represent a broad spectrum of the Atlin community, including those belonging to the region’s First Nations. The organization believes that Redfern has developed a sound proposal that will have minimal environmental impact, either at site or down river, and that the new mine will have a net benefit by cleaning up the acid-rock generation from previous mine workings and permanently encasing them underground.

As for the access road, CARES says it shares the concerns of environmental groups. At the same time, however, it supports Redfern’s plan to limit non-company use of the road only to legitimate tenure holders already in the region. A manned gate will be put into place, and the road will be patrolled to ensure the integrity of the limited access plan. Some leading biologists agree with residents that wildlife will adapt to resource roads, provided the animals are not hunted.

Residents of Atlin point out that they are not supporting Redfern’s proposal solely on the basis of its economic benefits. Perhaps the most important benefit, they say, is the opportunity for friends and family members who have had to move elsewhere for work to return home. The community also hopes the project will allow the local school to offer programs through high school (students are sent to live in Whitehorse for grades beyond ten). They also hope the town will be able to support more services, such as banking, health care and a youth centre.

Atlin residents believe that none of these things will happen unless they continue to participate in the mine development process. We believe they deserve to be heard.