Future of Donkin Mine questioned at Cape Breton Davis Day ceremony

A big crowd gathered on Tuesday at the Cape Breton Miners Museum in Glace Bay, N.S., to mark the 99th anniversary of Davis Day.

However, when it comes to coal mining in Cape Breton nowadays, some were wondering about the future of Cape Breton’s only remaining coal mine – the Donkin Mine – which has been closed for nearly eleven months.

"That depends on who you talk to,” said CBRM Deputy Mayor James Edwards, who has become a community liaison for the company that owns the mine, Kameron Coal.

“The province says 'Oh no, the ball is in Kameron's court,' and Kameron says, 'Oh no, it's in the province's court.'”

The Donkin Mine was closed following a pair of roof falls in July 2023.

This past March, Nova Scotia's Department of Labour cleared the mine to resume year-round operation.

However its owner still hasn't sent the operation’s roughly 130 employees back to work.

Edwards said the company wants assurances against future long shutdowns by the province.

"I sent two letters to the Premier in the last couple of weeks, one on May 17 and one just yesterday or the day before yesterday, asking for some definitive action on that,” Edwards said.

Jim MacLellan, a retired coal miner and member of the Men of the Deeps who was on hand to participate in the Davis Day ceremony said he would like to see Cape Breton mining continue, but added he knows the dangers firsthand.

"Oh, I have no problem with it. Of course, I'm a miner,” MacLellan said. "The rules that they follow are made by people that know what they're doing."

Nova Scotia's NDP leader, Claudia Chender, was also at the Davis Day ceremony, and she said while the ball may be in the company's court, government's responsibilities when it comes to preventing tragedy need to be taken seriously.

"We also need to make sure people are safe, so you know I think government seems to feel they've reached that place and I don't know what decision the company will make,” Chender said.

If the two sides are at a stalemate, Edwards wants to try to resolve it with a meeting between Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston and Kameron Coal.

"Let's have a meaningful conversation, meaningful dialogue to put the cards on the table and see where we go from here,” Edwards said.

If nothing changes, the Donkin Mine will have been out of operation for a year on July 15.

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.