COMMENTARY — Communication is key

The author is a senior geologist at Watts Griffis & McOuat and has written the following article at the request of Keep Mining in Canada, a grassroots campaign designed to increase awareness of the importance of mining in this country.

When mining companies begin exploration activities in a new area, one of the first things they should do is talk to the local community. If concerns and fears are addressed at the start, there is less chance of misunderstanding and rumor finding fertile ground in which to take root.

This was Regal Goldfields’ reasoning when it held a public information session in Cheticamp, N.S., in May.

As a result of lobbying by the local and economic commission, the provincial government had removed protected status from a region known as Jim Campbell’s Candidate Protected Area. Situated south of Cape Breton National Park, the area, which is also known as the Barren, is noted for tourism and salmon fishing.

Regal was starting exploration activities on the Barren and wanted to inform the public of its plans. The company invited me, as a Keep Mining in Canada ambassador, to join it in a meeting to be held in the community centre.

Government and business representatives set up information tables and displays showing, for example, aerial photographs of the area so that people could see for themselves environmental disturbances that existed before Regal initiated fieldwork.

The 1-day session drew people from across Nova Scotia — schoolchildren, store owners, retirees, park officials, university students and members of the salmon fishing association. The meeting went well, largely because of its informal setup. People attending a town hall session tend to be more shy and can be reluctant to ask questions. At our meeting, however, they could discuss their individual concerns one-on-one with government and industry representatives.

The question asked most frequently by people touring the exhibits was how exploration would affect the environment.

In the region’s cold climate, vegetation regenerates itself slowly, and local residents wanted assurance that no unique plant life would be affected. They were also concerned about possible impacts on salmon fishing.

Of equal interest was the possibility that this project would bring jobs into the community. People have been hard-hit by fishery cutbacks and I was asked a lot of questions about job opportunities.

Through this meeting, we were able to give people a realistic idea of what is involved in exploration. Many assumed a mine was going to be developed, and we explained that although exploration is a start, it does not necessarily lead to development.

We also told them that exploration causes minimal disturbance, but that there is still an economic benefit to the community. We also explained that if a mine were to be developed, it would have to go through an entirely different permitting process.

>From our point of view, the meeting achieved its goal. We were able to increase public knowledge about mining, while at the same time demonstrate our awareness of environmental issues. And we hope we’ve allayed the concerns of Cape Bretoners.