Minister Offers Mediator To Help Resolve Employment Dispute At The Star Lake Hydro Development Project

Kevin Aylward, Minister of Environment and Labour, has offered the services of one of the department's mediators to try and break the impasse between the Buchans Area Committee and Abitibi Consolidated relating to the Star Lake hydro project.

Abitibi Consolidated has begun construction of the Star Lake hydro project in the Buchans area as scheduled. However, residents in the Buchans area have raised concerns about the company's willingness to hire local residents. The management of Abitibi-Price and residents of the local area have been meeting over the last few weeks to try and ensure that the maximum work opportunities are available for residents from the immediate area. This morning, citizens from the area placed a series of barricades, preventing access to the work site.

Contact: Sean Kelly, Director of Communications, Department of Environment and Labour, (709) 729-2575.