Officials with three southern Saskatchewan reserves are gearing up to be part of BHP Billiton’s Jansen potash mine project.
The George Gordon, Day Star and Kawacatoose First Nations will be working with ATCO to provide workforce housing, catering and other services.
George Gordon Chief Glen Pratt says hundreds of jobs will start becoming available in the coming weeks.
Pratt says when approaching BHP Billiton about ways to become involved, examples from the province’s north were used:
“And we went to them and used Cameco as an example — that Cameco has done some good work in the north with some of the First Nations communities up there. We’d like to see the same attitude down south, because for too long, the potash mines have existed without any real benefit coming to the First Nations.”
Pratt says they also hope to provide training so members can be employed in the many skilled trade positions needed in a potash mine.
He says mine construction will take three to four years, and many longer-term jobs will be available after that.