Send a Letter
Writing letters to the following people regarding our collective concerns regarding the proposed open pit mine at Record Ridge is an essential part of standing up to West High Yield resources, and our best chance at stopping the proposal from being approved.
Southeast Mines Office
250-100 Cranbrook St N
Cranbrook BC, V1C3P9
Phone: 250-417-6134
Email: MMD-Cranbrook@gov.bc.ca
Regional Director: Kathie Wagar, kathie.wagar@gov.bc.ca
Senior Inspector of Mines, Permitting: Glen Hendrickson
Senior Inspector of Mines, Compliance: Jerrold JewsburyHonourable Josie Osborne,
Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation
Phone: (250) 953-0900
Fax: (250) 356-2965
Email: EMLI.minister@gov.bc.ca
Honourable Katrine Conroy,
MLA Kootenay West and Minister of Finance
2-1006 3rd St,
Castlegar, BC V1N3X6
Phone: (250) 304-2783
Fax: (250) 304-2655
Email: Katrine.Conroy.MLA@leg.bc.ca
MP Richard Cannings
Federal Minister of Resources and MP for South Okanagan-West Kootenay
Mail can be sent postage-free to:
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A0A6
Phone: 613-996-8036
Fax: 613-943-0922
richard.cannings@parl.gc.ca
Honourable George Heyman
Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy
PO Box 9047 Stn Prov Gov
Victoria, BC V8W 9E2
ENV.Minister@gov.bc.ca
Environmental Protection Division (EPD)
#401 - 333 Victoria Street
Nelson,B.C. V1L 4K3
Phone: (250) 354-6333
Fax: (250) 354-6332Environmental Stewardship Division (ESD)/ Parks and Protected Area Division (PPAD)
205 Industrial Rd. G
Cranbrook,B.C. V1C 7G5
Phone: (250) 489-8540
Fax: (250) 489-8506Water Stewardship Division (WSD)
102 Industrial Place
Penticton, BC V2A 7C8
Phone: (250) 490-8200
Fax: (250) 490-2231
Each and every letter sent at this stage of West High Yield's application will be required to be reviewed and addressed. Please copy and paste the letter below, and send it to the above contacts, ensuring to fill in the appropriate details.
<Your Name>
<Your Address>
<Date>
<Name of Receiver>
<Address of Receiver>
<Email of Receiver>
To <Name of Receiver>,
As a local community member, I am extremely concerned with the open pit mine that West High Yield (WHY) Resources Ltd. is proposing to open in the Record Ridge area on the unceded territory of the Sinixt First Nations, near Rossland, Paterson, and Sheep Creek, BC. The proposed mine could have significant negative impacts on the quality of life, safety, health, economy, and well-being of all the residents. In addition, the proposed mine will threaten already fragile alpine and grassland ecosystems and watersheds.
Water
Having clean water is a right that all Canadians have. Many properties around that watershed access surface or well water. With the proposed mine location, there is an increased risk that runoff from the mine could contaminate that watershed, either immediately or in the future. This could result in homeowners bearing the costs of finding an alternative way to get clean water. In addition, water is already scarce in the Rossland area during the summer months. If the proposed mine requires the use of any water, this will add significant pressure to an already taxed system. Along with risking the drinking water of residents, the proposed mine could also destroy fish habitat and the water supply for the wildlife in the area. Under the Water Sustainability Act, everyone needs a water license. How will the watershed be protected, monitored, and sustained? What measures will the province put in place to ensure the current and future protection of that watershed?
Dust
The amount of dust that will be created from the blasting, crushing, loading, and hauling activity will be significant. The local residents living nearest the mine site, such as those families in Paterson, will be constantly exposed to dust and airborne chemicals in the dust. How will dust be mitigated at the mine site? How will the dust be monitored for harmful contaminants? How will the province ensure local residents have their homes, vehicles, and yards regularly cleaned from excess dust from mining activity?
Asbestos and Other Airborne Chemicals
Within the ore there are proven traces of asbestos. With trucks driving through the center of town, estimated at every 10 minutes - 7 days per week, exposure to asbestos or other chemicals in the ore dust is possible. Any exposure to asbestos is a serious health risk. The tests that have been done, although they might be according to the minimum regulations, are not enough to ensure that exposure to asbestos is not a threat to our communities. How will the government evaluate the contradicting reports of asbestos at the mine site? How will the government monitor potential asbestos contamination at the mine site and in the transport trucks traveling through our communities? How will dust be monitored for such chemicals?
Noise Pollution
The noise from weekly blasting and daily crushing and hauling on a mine site that is 7.5 kilometers from the community of Rossland and only 2 kilometers from the community of Paterson will have an extremely negative impact on the quality of life for all residents. Moreover, the proposed mine site is 200 meters from our epic trail Seven Summits, which is traversed by locals and tourists daily. This noise will affect the patrons of the trail significantly. In addition, the noise pollution from the heavy truck traffic through Rossland, Paterson, and Trail will negatively impact all residents. What will the province do to mitigate this noise in our communities? How can the mine site be altered to buffer sound? Is it possible to reduce the hours of operation, including hauling, to be consistent with a typical work schedule, thus permitting some regard for residents?
Transportation of Ore
With the proposed 80 ore-truck trips a day throughout Paterson and Rossland, I am specifically concerned about road infrastructure and the safety of citizens. The town of Rossland will carry the burden of heavy traffic throughout town, affecting businesses, residents, and homeowners. If the trucks are rerouted through Paterson, that community will be negatively impacted. It is a farming community with tractors and equipment sharing the road. How will the province ensure the safety of community members, mitigate the negative impact of increased heavy traffic on tourism, and reduce potential noise from the big trucks?
In addition, the dust generated by the ore trucks hauling material on the gravel road of cascade highway and through communities has the potential to greatly affect air quality. It could also create a blanket of dust on residents' homes, community sidewalks, and storefronts. As queried earlier, how will the province ensure dust from the ore trucks is mitigated? And how will the province ensure that the homes and communities are kept clean?
Economic Impacts
Rossland has been named one of the best small mountain towns in Canada to live in, according to Map Quest Travel, and has worked hard to establish itself as a travel and tourist destination. Rossland accommodation revenue from tourism reached a record in 2022, where “Total accommodation revenue was $9.5 million, a 40 percent increase over the best year prior to the pandemic in 2019.” (Rossland News, May 26, 2023). Rossland residents have invested significantly over the last 20+ years in the city center and surrounding trails, parks, and recreation areas to become a four-season outdoor recreation destination. Many shops and services, and economic activity in general, are focused on catering to this market. Many of the residents of Rossland choose to live here because of the quality of life that the area offers (ie, close access to wild nature, peace, and quiet, clean water, calm streets, world-class winter and summer recreation possibilities, including trails that are tourist attractions. Rossland is a popular tourist destination for mountain biking and all types of skiing. In 2012, Rossland was named the “Mountain Biking Capital of Canada'' by Explore Magazine. Tourism in Rossland in 2011, recorded that out-of-town mountain bikers spent a total of $589,000, which significantly contributed to the community’s revenues and added to provincial revenues (Tourism BC, 2013). Since that time, mountain biking revenues have continued to climb and are a major contributing factor to the local economy and community.
The proposed mine would have a detrimental impact on access to, and use of the biking trails, and ski touring in the area of Record Ridge. In particular, the Seven Summits Trail would be destroyed given its close proximity to the proposed mine. It is uncertain how the growth of the mine will further impact trail riding. WHY representatives have proposed closing the Seven Summits trail during blasting or moving the trail. It is unclear how all potential trail users would be notified of the blasting, which could result in major safety concerns for local or visiting patrons of the trail. Moving or closing the trail could jeopardize the trail’s status and impact its value. Just having the mine pit within sight of the trail will take away from the experience. Moreover, there are major pick-up and drop-off points for the mountain biking trails along the Cascade Highway. In 2007, Seven Summits Trail was named Trail of the Year by Bike Magazine. In 2011, Tourism BC conducted research on mountain biking in Rossland. They determined that Seven Summits was the most popular trail in the community, with 61% of respondents reporting that they visited the trail during their stay in Rossland. The trail was one of the top five reasons for the popularity of mountain biking in Rossland. The respondents were non-local riders. The study concluded that 90% of travelers to the area reported that the single most important factor in their decision to visit Rossland was mountain biking. The majority also reported that they would return to bike, given their experience. At that time, Rossland was reported to be exceeding consumers' expectations for the biking experience. Since 2011, Rossland has invested significant time and resources into the trail. Currently, Seven Summits Trail is the only mountain biking trail in the Kootenays with International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) “Epic Status.” Canada only has four trails of this status. This draws tourism and recreation from across the globe.
In summary, the mine could destroy a tremendous amount of the tourism industry in Rossland and negatively impact associated businesses. It could potentially reduce the lifestyle, mental health, and physical health of the local residents.
In addition, research also shows that our property values could decrease by as much as 30%, due to our proximity to the open pit mine. This further impacts local communities and investors. In exchange, the only benefit that the representatives from the mine could identify for residents of Rossland, Warfield, Trail, Paterson, and Sheep Creek was approximately 30 seasonal jobs. We would lose far more than that many jobs from the destruction of the very environment that enables our thriving tourism industry.
How can the government ensure that the recreational and tourism backbone of our community is not negatively impacted by Record Ridge Mine? How will the government compensate for lost revenues and job loss in this sector? How will the government ensure the safety of all trail users, local and non-local during blasting times? How will the integrity and experience of the world-famous Seven Summits Trail be maintained?
Within three kilometers of the mine site, there is a Girl Guides Canada camp, which has been an established camping site for our children and children from around Canada for many years. This recreation site is used by children all summer long for excursions, learning wilderness safety skills, and general camping events. They depend on the water on site for drinking, bathing, and cleaning. The noise and dust pollution will take away from their recreational experience.
How will the province mitigate the mining effects on this recreational component of our community?
Farm Land
Paterson and Sheep Creek areas are home to some of the only viable farmland Rossland has access to. This land is not protected by the ALR. This agricultural land is at risk of being negatively impacted by noise, dust, and water pollution. How will the province ensure that the impact of the mine will not affect agricultural production of this land and mitigate the effects of dust, noise, and water pollution for the cattle, horses, and poultry of these farms?
First Nations’ Land Rights and UNDRIP
This proposed mine directly impacts the Sinixt people and their future generations. It is their land we call home and it is their right to protect it. This is their traditional unceded territory and they need to be meaningfully consulted. A representative of the Sinixt came to the community open house in Rossland on the evening of May 17th to express in very strong and heartfelt words that the band DOES NOT WANT IT. How will the province ensure that these indigenous people’s voices are considered?
Grassland, endangered species, and unique ecosystem
The grassland deserves further study and has culturally significant flora and endangered plant species, including a SARA S1 listed plant. How will the province ensure that the ecosystem at Record Ridge is protected?
2-year pilot application for a 20+ year mining project
WHY has limited their application and the information provided to a 2-year pilot project with the extraction of only 249,000 tons of ore, to avoid the threshold of a large-scale environmental assessment. The proponents told the community that they intend to expand the mine site with additional applications after two years. The community would like to know, prior to any pilot, the full scope of the project and the effect it could have on their lives and future generations. The potential hidden social, environmental, and economic costs of this mine in the short and long term should be considered when planning this project that will affect the life of “Beautiful British Columbia” citizens. How can the province balance the right of the applicant to just a two-year mining proposal and ensure the local communities receive informed consent for a potentially longer-term and more invasive project?
Public awareness, transparency, and effective communication.
Currently, there is no requirement for the province to hold official public meetings, although the project directly affects five communities: Paterson, Sheep Creek, Rossland, Warfield, and Trail. How can the province ensure that all potentially impacted community members are informed and given time to bring forward their concerns regarding the mine? A small notification in the local newspaper hardly seems appropriate.
West High Yield Resources mining company has no track record of successful, clean, and environmentally safe projects. The company did not represent itself in a professional manner during the open house in Rossland and has failed to demonstrate that they are a collaborative or trustworthy company. How will the province ensure that WHY Resources can be trusted to maintain the integrity of the proposed permit? What assurances can be given to the communities affected?
The mine will need to put forward a reclamation security. The security is assessed on a site-specific basis and reflects the outstanding reclamation, environmental and closure obligations associated with the site. Please consider this when defining the security, social, environmental, and community economic impacts that the mine will incur, not only the site impact. Extracted from WHY website: We are committed to a sustainable future and to improving the social, economic, and environmental well-being of the community. Please make WHY honor this statement.
Thank you for your review of my concerns,
Sincerely,
<Your Name & Signature>
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