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District and Teck get Livability Study underway
The District of Sparwood and Teck Resources Limited (Teck) are working in partnership to finalize a Socio-Community and Economic Effects Management Plan to better understand and provide recommendations for the management of community impacts on Sparwood related to the Baldy Ridge Extension (BRE) project at Teck’s Elkview Operations.
To advance this important work, the district has established a new Socio- Community and Economics Effects Advisory Committee and has selected a consultant to assist in conducting a Livability Study to help evaluate the quality of life in Sparwood and its relation to mining operations.
District council appointed seven community members, as well as two representatives of council, Councillors Joe Jarina and Jason Christensen, to the first term of the committee.
Teck’s Don Sander, General Manager of Elkview Operations, and Chris Stroich, Superintendent Environment from Elkview Operations, along with Nic Milligan, Manager, Social Responsibility, will sit on the Committee. Volunteer community members Allison Burton, Don Crawford, John Ralph, Keenan Adams, Maeve Scannell, Tracey Brook-Baker, and Wes Pinsent will meet with the group for the first time in the coming weeks to begin their work in understanding and providing recommendations on the impact management approaches to the BRE.
The committee will also engage with the community to bring the public’s voice to the livability conversation and to suggest recommendations regarding mining operations.
The district and Teck have selected Intelligent Futures, a Calgary-based urban planning and community engagement firm, to conduct a Livability Study in Sparwood. This work has already begun, and public engagement events are anticipated in the first quarter of 2019.
The study is expected to run until mid-2019 and will evaluate Sparwood’s quality of life as it relates to a multitude of factors, including, but not limited to, the Baldy Ridge Extension.
Acting Mayor John Baher is happy with the progress to date and is excited for the coming months: “It took some hard work and thoughtful conversations but we now have a way forward in partnership with Teck, to better understand the quality of life in this community and how we will be able to maximize the benefits of this mine extension while minimizing any adverse impacts on the community.”
“Teck is committed to supporting the sustainable growth of the community and responsible advancement of the Baldy Ridge Project which will enable continued sustainable mining and economic activity from the operation for decades to come,” said Don Sander, General Manager, Elkview Operations. “We are looking forward to working with fellow Committee members to ensure Teck is the best neighbour it can be to the community of Sparwood.”
Learn more about the Advisory Committee and the Livability Study at www.sparwood.ca/livable.
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