‘It’s gotta have an endpoint’ – impatient council OKs another $200,000 for independent review
Council votes on Ajax Tuesday.
An impatient Kamloops council voted today (Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016) to spend another $200,000 — on top of $300,000 already spent — to finish an independent review of the Ajax mine project.
While some cautioned against rushing things, most were feeling a touch grumpy about the fact the process is taking so long and costing taxpayers so much money.
Although KGHM will be asked to come up with the additional $200,000, public works director Jen Fretz said in answer to a question from Coun. Denis Walsh that staff time alone has probably cost “in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
Fretz said the $200,000 for SLR Consultants is needed to finish the review and prepare a final report. KGHM is already footing the bill for the first $300,000.
Several councillors expressed impatience with the length of time the process is taking, and passed a separate motion by Coun. Arjun Singh to ask KGHM and the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office to speed things up.
Coun. Donovan Cavers, a staunch opponent of the mine, said the application is “riddled” with problems and insufficiencies.
“We need to show them to the door and we should take a position to that end,” he said.
Other councillors avoided criticizing the company they’re going to be asking for money from, but they are clearly weary of the long road.
“The City of Kamloops didn’t ask for this on our border and we’re now involved in a process that has become elongated,” said Coun. Ken Christian.
Coun. Tina Lange said KGHM should pay the additional review costs because “It’s the cost of doing business.”
Coun. Dieter Dudy said “no stone should be left unturned” in getting all the answers to questions that have been asked, cautioning against haste.
Fretz said she hoped the “pause” placed on the application at KGHM’s request in May will end by year’s end but “that’s the million dollar question.”
“It’s gotta have an end point,” said Singh. “If we keep going it’s going to go into 2035.”
— Rothenburger
ArmchairMayor.ca 
Take a look at how long other mining projects have taken in BC. The Provincial and Federal governments have 4 choices on this application. Turn it down, Turn it down with conditions, Approving the application,or Approving the application with conditions. Can most likely guarantee it won’t be approved without conditions or turned down outright.
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It seems like SLR Consultants has found a gullible cow to milk, and they are not going to let go of that teat for anything. Nothing the city says or does, is going to affect the out come here. The city needs to take a position , and stand by it . Enough of them trowing good money after bad.
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If KGHM had used their opportunity to submit a proper proposal that showed their work, or how they would do the mining within the tolerances required, instead of 18,000 pages of disconnected baffleprattle the additional $200,000 would not be required by SLR to review new submissions from KGHM and prepare a final report to council because the proposal would have failed or passed on its own strength and clarity. The cost is caused by KGHM, not the city or SLR, so KGHM Ajax pays or Kamloops Gets Hurt Much Again.
The real resource being wasted here is us, our time, energy and future that could have been spent building our clean, sustainable future for our children and their children.
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That would only be the beginning of the costs to taxpayers associated with this ill conceived project.
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The whole idea is flawed,it is on life support .Why can’t the city get off the pot and tell them that they are not interested.
Oh is it that chance at $4 m that keeps you interested?
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This Polish Mining Company doesn’t give one fig for the detriment and divisive aoura they have created in our once strong and proud City. Every single person responsible for this atrocity needs to be held accountable for the unrest, anxiety and anguish this application has brought to Kamloops! Kamloops needs a hero and not soon enough!
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And on and on, get off the pot, enough now before the window of opportunity is gone for this development.
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Why is the city of Kamloops finding it necessary to ask KGHM for funds to complete the incomplete and independent review of the proposed Ajax mine project. It seems that the review is no longer independent.
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I am lost for words…..another 200,000??? When/where is the endpoint
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