Why this project cannot proceed Facts on why this mine should not and cannot proceed and why it will be resisted:
#1: No, it's not needed. True metallurgical coking coal is not what this mine would produce. Period. At best 60% of the produced coal will be suitable for mixing into metallurgical applications (sub-bituminous) to lower the price for steel makers. At worst, the mine will sell 100% of its coal to the thermal power generation market, which is absolutely unacceptable.
#2: No, the studies done are not enough. Despite its starry-eyed press-releases, the only company (AMEC) used for environmental study has been under the direction of no one but the company itself. This is not 'independant' and forms the basis of the concern of the BC Shellfish Growers Association which employs 3 times the amount of people as Raven will.
#3: No commmitment outside of "paying taxes" has been given by the company to invest in the transportation infrastructure to move this coal to market. Be it road or rail, it is clear they expect the taxpayer, and only the taxpayer, to foot the bill both for any upgrades or new construction that needs to be done, and also the maintenance that will come afterward as the traffic produce degrades the infrastructure.
#4: The Port of Port Alberni is not ready to handle this volume. Despite efforts by local leaders to have the facilities moved out of the city centre so as to not affect local business, tourism and housing prices, the company has shown no willingness to support that initiative outside of lip service.
#5: Climate Change. Fact is, it doesn't matter if 'it produces steel for cars". We need to build less cars, and use less steel if we want to mitigate and adapt to climate change. That is the simple fact.
I would hope anyone with an ethical bent who has chosen to support this coalmine by buying its stock reconsiders. There are so many other industries to support with good paying jobs that will actually move Vancouver Island and all of humanity forward instead of holding it back.
And to the fellow who thought the idea of using wood/charcoal for coking coal was unsustainable. Anything is unsustainable if not used responsibly (the current log export regime being a perfect example). Coal doesn't reproduce itself, wood does.
Just imagine how many jobs this province would have if we actually used our renewable resources to make things rather than simply export them as quickly as possible and faster than we can replace them.