Teck Resources (2019 revenue of $11.9 billion, 2019 “adjusted profit” of $1.6 billion) is in the news this morning for a typically capitalist display of corona virus corporate responsibility British Columbia’s Elk Valley.
Teck is upgrading facilities for its mining operations in the valley which, among other things, involves a work camp of up to 700 workers and a fair number of transient contractors moving in and out of the site.
Even though Teck is the area’s largest employer, the mayors of all three municipalities in the Elk Valley have asked the company to review the operation in light of the rapid spread of the virus. Less timidly, every doctor in the valley has asked bluntly for it to be shut down.
Teck has refused, maintaining that they are taking adequate safety precautions and complying with all provincial regulations, which exempt large construction projects.
The company’s response is just part of a familiar public relations script. We all know how it goes. It starts with stuff like “workers’ safety is our priority” and “following all applicable regulations” and ends a few weeks or months later with drivel like “taking steps to make sure this tragedy never happens again,” and then on we go to the next disaster in waiting.
Exempting large-scale construction projects is a good thing if the dam is about to go bust and flood the valley or if we’re building more hospitals and treatment centers for Covid.
Teck’s project is nothing of the sort – it will just cost them a bit more money to mothball the project and start it up again.
Teck is not alone. It is reported that Trans Mountain pipeline, owned by the Canadian government (paid for by us taxpayers), is continuing construction. CoastalGas is continuing work in Wet’suwet’en territory.
Any decision on projects such as these must be made with the best interests of the entire community in mind. Medical professionals, local governments and populations, plus the workers who are on the project have lives that our provincial government should think of valuing more than Teck’s bottom line.
