News Release Archive

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/TOURISM--CLEANUP AT SYSCO TO SPAWN INDUSTRY
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A new industry is about to rise from the decades of scrap now
occupying provincially owned land near Sydney Steel Corp.

Federal and provincial funding will be used to launch a salvage
operation and training initiative that will employ up to 58
laid-off steelworkers.

At a news conference today Senator Alasdair Graham, on behalf of
the federal government, and Manning MacDonald, Minister of Nova
Scotia Economic Development and Tourism, announced support for
the Sysco Environmental Remediation and Training Program. Mr.
Graham made the announcement on behalf of Pierre Pettigrew,
Minister of Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), and Fred
Mifflin, Secretary of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities
Agency and Enterprise Cape Breton Corp.

"This project represents a partnership among several private
sector operators, the steelworkers' union and two levels of
government," said Mr. Graham. "In addition to providing
employment for displaced steelworkers, the project will be of
great benefit to the local community and provide on-the-job
training in the area of environmental remediation."

Speaking on behalf of Mr. Pettigrew, Mr. Graham added: "HRDC,
through the Transitional Job Fund, is pleased to participate in
this initiative which provides workers with new skills and new
opportunities for sustainable employment in a new field."

Said Mr. MacDonald: "This project is about investing -- in
people, in the environment and in the future. We're putting
people back to work, we're cleaning up the environment, and we're
helping to grow an environmental reclamation operation that will
market its expertise both within and outside Cape Breton."

The remediation project will include the demolition of abandoned
buildings and other structures as well as the recovery of buried
metals. Revenue will be generated from the sale of scrap metal,
which will offset the cost of the project.

The project will create a minimum of 58 direct jobs in the first
year and 42 in the second. Spinoff jobs will be created through
the contracting of equipment and operators over the life of the
project.


All project employees will receive detailed instruction and
training in demolition, the proper handling of hazardous
materials and other related skills. The remediation project is
expected to last two years, after which there will be a local
trained workforce capable of successfully competing for similar
work both on and off Cape Breton Island.

The project will be administered by PLI Environment Ltd., a
partnership consisting of LeBlanc-Inch Engineering, Joe Parsons
Construction and Stan Dicks Contracting. Employees will be drawn
from the ranks of the United Steelworkers of America Local 1064.

"We are pleased to have assisted the steelworkers in the
development of this training program and to be able to increase
the skills of Cape Breton workers during this worthwhile
project," said PLI spokesman Jim Inch.

"This is a good beginning toward the eventual recovery of the
Sysco site," said Bill MacNeil, president of Local 1064.
"Steelworkers are looking forward to an increased role following
our training on this project. Getting our men back to work has
been a priority and we are pleased that it is finally happening."

The total project cost is $5,368,407. The government of Canada,
through Enterprise Cape Breton Corp., is providing a $700,000
non-repayable contribution. In addition, through the Transitional
Job Fund of Human Resources Development Canada, the federal
government will provide $740,000 toward labour costs. The
province of Nova Scotia will provide an additional $700,000
non-repayable contribution. The remaining costs will be covered
by the sale of scrap metal salvaged from the site.

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Contact: D.A. Landry
         Enterprise Cape Breton Corp. 
         902-564-3617

         Rick Alexander
         Economic Development and Tourism
         902-424-8922
         E-mail: econ.alexanrj@gov.ns.ca
         Website: https://novascotia.ca/ecor/

trp                     July 25, 1997 - 12:40 p.m.