Mining Towns

At one time, new towns grew up around mining sites in a haphazard way. There was no control over land uses or quality of buildings. As a result, a 'shanty town' often developed.

When a town depends on single mine it is likely to become ghost town if the mine closes.

Single industry towns thrive while industry that is there is profitable. when it becomes unfeasible the business leaves the town on its own. This often crushes the town because it had solely supported by the business that was there. Ultimately the town shrivels up and then disappears.

Thus many single industry towns receive government subsidies, tax reductions. Businesses in the towns also receive government subsets, tax reductions and many incentives until the town gets on its feet.

Later, mining companies financed, built, and owned the new town associated with a mine, but the "company town" led to problems between the mining company and their employees. People resented the fact that their employer was associated with every aspect of their lives. They took no interest in governing the town or maintaining the community's services.

 

A Planned Mining Town

 

More recently mining companies have worked with the provincial governments, other private businesses, and their employees to build a planned town governed by the citizens who live there.

The mining company paid for the building of schools, hospitals, recreation centers, streets, and sewers. Then they turned the facilities over to the municipality to administer.

 

Movable Town

 

many mining camps such as the Golden Bear complex are built using portable trailer units so that they can be easily relocated once the ore reserves have been depleted

 

No Town

in this instance there is no real town

the workers of the mines work on a shift basis

every few weeks the company flies them out to a new mine

 

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