Cavers’ motion for more public comment on Ajax a no-brainer
TUESDAY MORNING EDITORIAL — Coun. Donovan Cavers’ motion at today’s Kamloops City council meeting to ask for a new formal public comment period on the Ajax mine proposal should be a no-brainer.
KGHM International has radically altered its site plan, shifting several of its components from their original locations to much different terrain. There are some perceived advantages to this in that they are further from City boundaries and in a less visible area, but it raises entirely new environmental questions.
Cavers believes the changes are significant enough that City council should ask the provincial Environmental Assessment office to back up its process just a bit and allow the public a formal opportunity for input before KGHM International submits its environmental permit application, expected by the end of March 2015.
The EA appears to be of a different view, but that’s where the City needs to take a clear position. Members of City council are aware of the extent of public concerns about this project, and of concerns about whether the process is good enough. They know that Ajax has a large number of supporters, too, but the divisiveness of the issue makes the need for assurance of full public engagement all the more important.
Asking for more information is never a bad thing, especially if you’re in a position of community leadership. Making certain that your constituents have a forum is part of the job.
This council has made a practice of using the “notice of motion” approach whenever one of its members wants to raise a new issue. That’s where a motion is presented in writing and then allowed to simmer until the next meeting before it’s discussed. It’s often an appropriate way of dealing with new ideas but it’s not necessary in this case.
It’s a matter of asking for additional public discussion on a new proposal, one that doesn’t have to wait for more studies or applications. The request needs to be made now, and council will, hopefully, support Cavers on his motion.
ArmchairMayor.ca 
So far, I believe that only part of the mine is in city boundaries. There has been talk of expanding those so that the whole mine is included though.
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They moved it all out of city limits, Grouchy.
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I think with the new plan that NONE of the mine is within city boundaries anymore. Which then poses the issue of tax revenue for the city which would effectively be zero. The city would need to annex the mine like it is trying to do with new gold. My biggest concern is that a lot of the mine now sits on top of the peterson creek aquifer which flows directly into our river. If it gets contaminated, so potentially too,does our drinking water.
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It would be good for the city to pass a new motion asking for a new public comment period on the latest changes to the Ajax plan. I will be waiting with great anticipation to see the wording of the motion. It would also be a good thing for the regional district to do the same thing. However, I don’t believe that the EA office will change its mind, given its comments in the latest copy of the KTW. My only question would be, is the proposed mine site within the boundaries of the city?
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Why would that matter? I think the question is, will it impact the city and the citizens of Kamloops? An imaginary line on a map doesn’t matter.
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