By Richard Tremblay
Vice President Operations, Taseko Mines
Since its inception (previously Mining Week), it was a time where people would come together and celebrate the contributions of the industry and the people in it.
With the ongoing battle against COVID-19, this year’s Mining Month may be different in execution; however, today, it is more important than ever to recognize the resiliency of the industry and to celebrate the commitment to the people working in it.
In Williams Lake and its immediate surroundings, there are approximately 650 employees that work at Gibraltar Mine. Each day, even in difficult times such as we are currently experiencing, Gibraltar employees commit themselves to operational excellence and efficient production.
Read More: 100 per cent of Cariboo businesses have had to reduce employee hours or lay employees off, study finds
While it may not be business as usual, there are a number of priorities and initiatives Taseko, Gibraltar and our employees are continuing to pursue, including:
• Health and safety, our top priority – additional measures have been put into place to ensure the wellbeing of everyone at our operations,
• Supporting the community through providing our experience and expertise in conducting fit-testing and providing respirators for physicians, nurses and dentists
• Student and co-op programs continuing as planned – ensuring youth have an opportunity to learn and advance their careers
• Continuation in planning and execution of our environmental and Indigenous initiatives, such as the Fraser River Salmon Sampling Program.
While the immediate future for society may look somewhat different as we adjust to living with the COVID-19, you can rest assure Taseko, Gibraltar, and our employees will continue to focus on employee safety, environmental protection, delivering social value, and operational excellence.
In conjunction with Mining Month, Taseko has published its first Environmental, Social, and Governance Report, titled Our Contribution to Society. The Report is an examination of the Company’s sustainable performance, highlighting our continued dedication. The full report can be viewed at tasekomines.com/our-contribution.
Do you have a comment about this story? email: editor@wltribune.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
