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CANADIAN INDUSTRY ONLINE - JANUARY 2013
year now, and coverage of the meet-
ings has been extensive. Latest public
meetings in 2012 pulled some 100+
Timmins residents to express concerns
about Hollinger, the berms that would
be constructed, and property values
around the mine site.
“
Our community groups provide
for us feedback on environmental con-
cerns around the project, and we also
have a community information centre
with readily available facts for resi-
dents.”
It’s hard to believe that a mining
company would do anything exclu-
sively for a community, and not solely
for financial benefit, but the Hollinger
project will ultimately offer more to
the City of Timmins (in the long term)
than do harm. In addition to job cre-
ation, all the mine hazards on the site
that still exist within the land will be
removed. Part of the mining process
is truly beginning the process of long-
term reclamation. “Eventually this will
be a lake and parkland—250 acres that
has been fenced off for 30 years will be
turned back to the community.”
Goldcorp retained PR Associates
in 2012 to perform a public perception
audit and has since offered numerous
opportunities for community input.
The biggest challenge, when it comes
to impacts on neighbouring communi-
ties, will be evaluating the affects Hol-
linger reclamation efforts will have on
property value. “This project is in the
middle of the city, so skateholder en-
gagement is key. But all of the issues,
including property values, we’ve been
addressing regularly. We will be using
different methods for blasting that will
reduce dust, and also employing state-
of-the-art monitoring equipment that
will inform us when we get to close
to community limits, and monitor
sound.”
The most impressive aspect of the
monitoring systems is that the public
has access to these systems. “And this
is all run by a third party company,”
Rizzuto adds.
CONTINUED GROWTH IN TIMMINS
Goldcorp intends to continue op-
erating sustainably, with the communi-
ty at the forefront of the Hollinger ef-
forts. “Our key goal is to get Hollinger
up and running this year, hire another
150
employees, and use as many lo-
cal contractors as possible,” Rizzuto
concludes. “And all of those contrac-
tors—they all need to understand our
requirements and sustainability stan-
dards.”
“
We have a big land package in
Timmins, so we have a lot of explora-
tion projects going on. Porcupine gold
mines are in growth mode, and the key
message is economic growth in Tim-
mins.”
