June 14, 2010
Quebec breathing new life into one of Canada’s last remaining asbestos minesFrançais
By: Andy Blatchford, The Canadian Press
14/06/2010
MONTREAL – The Quebec government is breathing new life into Canada’s dying asbestos industry.
The province is close to backing a loan of $58 million to reopen a mine in the town of Asbestos, a cash injection that could keep it operating for the next 25 years.
Once highly profitable, domestic consumption of the hazardous substance has plummeted, while exports are increasingly under attack from international critics.
The Jeffrey mine in Asbestos is one of two Canadian operations that still exploit the mineral — the other is about 90 kilometres away in Thetford Mines.
“For the economic development of our region, it’s a major development project,” Asbestos Mayor Hugues Grimard said in an interview Monday.
Grimard predicts that reviving the 131-year-old Jeffrey mine, currently under bankruptcy protection, would create more than 400 direct and 1,000 indirect jobs in the area.
“Over 25 years, it would be $1 billion in economic spinoffs for our area,” he said from the town of 7,000, about 150 kilometres east of Montreal.
But the negotiations come as international pressure mounts against Quebec’s asbestos industry.
Scientists and physicians from around the world are calling on the province to stop extracting and exporting the mineral, blamed for serious health problems including cancer.
But supporters of Quebec asbestos — known as chrysotile — contend it is safe when handled properly.
The deal will only survive if conditions set by the Quebec government are met by the mine and its workers.
The local union voted Sunday to accept certain conditions, including a five-year contract that would divert 10 per cent of worker earnings into a fund; the cash would be sent to the government if the mine failed.
Quebec has now added two new conditions that must be met before it guarantees the bank loan.
The government wants the mine’s customers — largely foreigners — to agree to adhere to Quebec standards on the safe handling of asbestos.
Canada’s asbestos industry has been heavily criticized for exporting the mineral to developing countries where few, if any, safety measures to limit exposure are followed.
Quebec Economic Development Minister Clement Gignac also wants an independent firm to ensure the company will be profitable before he backs the loan, a spokeswoman said Monday.
“The minister was very clear: before we present this file to the cabinet we have to have guarantees on these two questions — profitability and safety,” said Anne-Sophie Desmeules.
An anti-asbestos activist believes the new conditions could mean the provincial government, a strong supporter of the industry, is beginning to reconsider its stance.
She doesn’t believe the conditions on safe use by customers or on profitability could ever be met if dealt with honestly.
“One has to hope that this is a sign of sober second thoughts,” said Kathleen Ruff, a senior advisor for the Rideau Institute.
“Maybe because they’re seeing that this is going to get a lot of attention, maybe he is trying to find a way to backtrack.”
Last week, 37 physicians from 19 countries signed a letter to Quebec Health Minister Yves Bolduc, urging him to comply with the medical code of ethics and stop overlooking the risks posed by asbestos.
The World Health Organization estimates the mineral, regardless of the type, causes 90,000 preventable deaths each year around the world.
In 2008, the $100-million Canadian asbestos industry exported 175,000 tonnes of chrysotile; almost all of it went to developing countries, including India, Indonesia, and Bangladesh.
T.K. Joshi, a physician and leading anti-asbestos advocate in India, says he was alarmed to hear Quebec mulling over whether to back a loan for the Jeffrey mine.
“We’re still very hopeful that this won’t happen and this shouldn’t happen because this will be a kind of a disaster,” Joshi said last week in a phone interview from New Delhi.
“It’s a very small economic issue here, few jobs and not much value in this trade. But overall, the message that it will send will be very dangerous — that Canada still doesn’t agree with what the rest of the world is saying.”
Even with the controversy, the mayor of Asbestos is confident the loan guarantee will soon be on its way from Quebec City.
Grimard, a life-long resident of Asbestos, insists chrysotile can be safe to exploit and to use.
“Come to Asbestos, you’ll see the population is aging and everyone is in good health,” said Grimard, who has many relatives who worked in the mine.
“It’s our history, it’s our pride. All he people of Asbestos and the region are proud of our chrysotile asbestos industry.”
