Watch above: emotions ran high at a forum in Langham over a proposed metal processing plant
LANGHAM, Sask – It was more of the same Wednesday night as Fortune Minerals held another open house with Langham, Sask. residents over a proposed metal processing plant.
It was loud and clear before the meeting even began that the plant isn’t welcome after approximately 200 people filled Affinity Town Hall demanding answers from the company.
“If this community had something like CNH which was going to expand out here, maybe a malt plant like they have in Biggar or something like that, a canola crushing facility, you wouldn’t have a meeting like this,” said Dusty Dear.
Fortune Minerals plans to build the Saskatchewan metals processing plant two-and-a-half kilometers from the town.
“We know there’s always going to be opposition to a large industrial project, we’re basically speaking to the silent majority that are interested in jobs and the economic opportunity that are coming with this project,” said Robin Goad, president and CEO of Fortune Minerals.
The plant would process copper, cobalt, bismuth and gold transported from the company’s mine in the North West Territories. Residents are concerned about potential pollution, air quality, land value and their water supply.
“We’ve had intense scrutiny of both the sites, the mine in the concentrator in the Northwest Territories … as well as the process facility that’s planned for this site,” said Goad.
Watch below: raw video from the forum in Langham over a proposed metal processing plant
The environmental process with the Saskatchewan government has been approved. Fortune Minerals plans to continue with the zoning process and intends to break ground later this year.
Fortune Minerals had considered Flin Flon and Brandon, Man. before settling on Langham, citing better economic opportunities in Saskatchewan.
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