Councillor wants public comment about Ajax Mine to be part of council meetings

KAMLOOPS – If you’ve been waiting to voice your opinion on proposed Ajax Mine to city council, you might soon be able to bring your views to council chambers.

Coun. Donovan Cavers is proposing to allow residents to share comments and concerns about the proposed Ajax Mine to form delegations and send correspondence to City Hall, something that has not happened since council decided to no longer allow open discussion about the mine during the public portion of the meetings.

The moratorium of sorts was put on public presentations because council believed they were overwhelming the council agenda and detracting from other city matters.

Cavers maintains the Ajax Mine proposal will have a large impact on Kamloops and as a result wants the public to have a chance to have a voice during council meetings. While the city is planning information sessions during the public comment period, Cavers believes ‘other topical and/or time sensitive information may arise independent of that process.’

Cavers will officially be asking council to support his proposal in a motion he will bring forward at the next council meeting. 

Ajax is a proposed copper and gold mine that, if approved, will be located southwest of Kamloops. On Nov. 20, the province declared the mine’s application requirements complete, meaning the 18,000-page document will be made public in the new year. A public comment period will take place during the review period, giving residents and the city 75 days to express their approval or apprehension before the province makes its ruling on the mine proposal.

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