Leadership and community engagement at Teck

1 of 2Flathead Townsite, recently purchased by Teck for conservation, provides key habitat for fish, bears, birds and other species. — Photo courtesy Teck Resources Ltd.

2 of 2Teck purchased 992 hectares of land at Flathead Townsite southeast of Sparwood for conservation as part of the company's sustainability initiative. — Photo courtesy Teck Resources Ltd.

Teck’s Elkview Operations near Sparwood, B.C., was awarded the 2013 Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) Leadership Award for its performance in three focus areas: environmental footprint, communities and people, and energy efficiency. The award was handed out by the Mining Association of Canada (MAC).

Elkview, which lies in the Elk Valley in B.C.'s East Kootenay region, is the company’s second largest open-pit mine, with more than 1,000 full-time employees. It produces high-quality steel-making coal, with the current annual production capacities of the mine and preparation plant at approximately 6.5 million and 6.5 million tonnes of clean coal, respectively.

The award was presented in Sparwood in November. Pierre Gratton, president and CEO of the MAC, congratulated Teck on the distinction for its leadership in environmental management and community engagement, calling it “a model for other mine sites across Canada.”

Elkview achieved the highest possible ranking in the aboriginal and community outreach performance area, which includes establishing communications processes with a facility’s communities of interest, understanding the viewpoints of the communities and ensuring those communities are informed of the mine’s activities and performance.

Chris Stannell is senior communications specialist with Teck, and he said the company’s efforts in this area are focused on ensuring that communities benefit in a self-defined and sustainable manner from Teck’s activities and products.

“An example of this commitment is the establishment of the Elk Valley Communities of Interest Advisory Initiative,” said Stannell.

Teck established the advisory panel in March 2012, to engage the local community, the Ktunaxa First Nation and the broader public at every stage of the mining life cycle.

“It brings together local stakeholders including government, health care and environmental representatives to foster dialogue about how our operations in the Elk Valley can bring lasting benefits to the community,” said Stannell.

In January 2014, the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) awarded Teck the Environmental & Social Responsibility Award for its sustainability initiatives, which included the 2011 development of a comprehensive long- and short-term strategy addressing the company’s sustainability goals.

One component of the strategy was the $19-million purchase of three parcels of land in B.C.’s southeast corner for conservation.

Flathead Townsite is a 1,000-hectare riverside parcel of land 28 kilometres southeast of Sparwood that provides habitat for bull trout, westslope cutthroat trout, grizzly bears and birds.

A 3,098-hectare parcel in Alexander Creek on the north side of Highway 3 adjacent to the Alberta border is a critical crossing point that allows species such as grizzly bears and lynx to make their way from Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, across Highway 3, to Canada’s Rocky Mountain parks.

The company also purchased 3,059 hectares of land at Grave Prairie, an important wintering area for elk.

Teck’s conservation land initiative represents one of the biggest private-sector investments in land conservation in B.C.’s history.

“Our recent land purchase in the East Kootenays aligns with the vision we’ve laid out in our sustainability strategy to have a net-positive impact in biodiversity in the areas where we operate,” said Stannell. “With five steel-making coal mines in the East Kootenay region, Teck and its employees who live and work there are committed to ensuring the region’s vibrant economy and natural splendour (are) maintained for future generations.”