The Triple 7 mine is slated for closure in 2020, and yet the
current government, in office for 15 months has not yet presented any plan for
Flin Flon’s future. While there have
been false alarms before, when there were concerns that ore in the Flin Flon
area may be depleted and Flin Flon’s primary mine might close, this time it
seems likely it is for real. Even if
this time it was not a false alarm, there is still need for a plan for Flin
Flon. Where is it? Why is it not here now? And what should be
in the plan? I was in Flin Flon July
9-11, the latest of many visits to the community. The first time I was in Flon Flon in 1967,
its population was about 11,000. Today
it is just over 5,000.
Let us look first at elements which are needed in a plan for
Flin Flon. First, in our digital world,
there needs to be fast access to the internet – broadband with sufficient
capacity to download large amounts of information quickly. This is an essential need in today’s
economy. It was not achieved in 17
years of the previous government. A plan
is needed to ensure fast internet access is present by 2020, if not before. Local products and services could find broader
markets with the on-line world making Flin Flon close, in cyberspace, to the
global market of many billions of people.
The connectivity is also needed for bringing specialist expertise to the
community including for brain and mental health, and for distant education to
keep youth at home and costs down for parents and students and for
teleconferencing to meetings and events.
Second, while Flin Flon’s Triple 7 mine may be gone, and
substantial new finds close to Flin Flon are unlikely to be on line by 2020,
Flin Flon is still in an important mining belt.
Indeed, the greenstone belt is known worldwide and is visited yearly by
geologists and scientists from all over the world. Flin
Flon’s zinc processing facility hopefully will continue to operate, with the
Lalor Lake copper-zinc-gold deposits. But
getting future base metal deposits lined up should be a priority, as should
keeping hydro rates reasonable. The Northern Manitoba Mining Academy in Flin
Flon needs to become much more active.
Today, it needs much better financial support from the province to
achieve the results that are needed. It needs to be more active in research in all
areas of industry, particularly in mining including mine remediation, and in
training students for varied jobs and opportunities within the mining
sector. It could also do better in linking
with Hapnot Collegiate to provide skills training for high school students and
greater exposure for Flin Flon students to the mining industry and its
opportunities. When I visited the
Academy on July 10, there were students from Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Gods Lake
Narrows and Moose Lake learning to be prospectors. This is an important step, but much more
training for varied positions, including mine remediation, is needed.
Third, Flin Flon needs to build on its strengths beyond the
mining sector. Flin Flon has an
exceptionally rich cultural community.
Plans for a North Central Canada Centre for Arts and Environment have
been put forward. This Centre needs to
be further explored particularly with respect to links to other northern
communities and including artistic links to Flin Flon and area’s Indigenous
artists.
Fourth, the role of Flin Flon as a northern transportation
centre needs to be further explored. Is
it possible to have a road up the west side of Manitoba to Nunavut? Could that road best go straight north from
Flin Flon to Lynn Lake? Could Flin
Flon’s airport also have a greater role?
The possibilities for a larger role for Flin Flon in northern
transportation, in road, rail and air need to be advanced.
Fifth, in health care and social services, there are options
for action. For example, Flin Flon has
an exemplary telemedicine program which has great potential to be expanded
through better and quicker links to specialists, and in improved links to other
northern communities. The
possibilities for greater support for training and employment of people in Flin
Flon in health care and social services certainly exists within the evolving
digital on-line world.
Sixth, the potential for increased tourism should be
explored. While relying on tourism in a
major way is difficult since activity tends to be related to the value of the
US dollar compared to Canada’s dollar, all possibilities for increased economic
activity should be addressed, including improving local services and
opportunities to advance local attractions, including for example a local
virtual tourism web site where people can visit the local sites virtually in 3
dimensions before coming to Flin Flon. Recent improvements to the Flin Flon
Museum’s displays highlighting local history are a good example of an
improvement in the last few years. We
can also learn from others. In
Australia, for example, Kalgoorlie-Boulder has done an excellent job of making
mining related attractions of greater interest to tourists.
The current provincial government has been characterized by
slow motion and delay. It is time for
action. 2020 is only three years away,
and that is a very short period to ensure new opportunities for people in Flin
Flon if the Triple 7 mine closes then, as is now expected. Let’s get moving – for Flin Flon. Together we can do it. I welcome comments and suggestions, and I
will certainly do my part to help people in Flin Flon.
With geologist Eckart Buhlmann at the Northern Manitoba Mining Academy.
Comments
Post a Comment