Minister of Health Adrian Dix has stated that Cowichan Tribe companies will be allowed to work at the site of the new $1.4-billion Cowichan District Hospital.
Dix made that commitment in the legislature on Feb. 8 after Cowichan Valley MLA Sonia Furstenau asked him when companies that work under the banner of the Khowutzun Development Corporation, Cowichan Tribes香蕉视频直播� economic arm, would be allowed back to work at the site.
Dix said the government has had ongoing conversations with Cowichan Tribes and has worked to bring all parties together to share information and talk through challenges.
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香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 how you solve issues,香蕉视频直播� he said.
香蕉视频直播淎s a result, the Khowutzun Development Corp. is now eligible for work on the Cowichan hospital site without a change to their workforce.香蕉视频直播�
Furstenau asked Dix when Cowichan Tribes companies would be allowed back to work on the site.
香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e now eligible,香蕉视频直播� Dix said.
But Jon Coleman, the owner of Jon-co Contracting, a member of the KDC, said that as of Feb. 9, no companies belonging to the KDC were working at the site.
Coleman, who was in the legislature at the invitation of Furstenau when Dix made his statements, said he couldn香蕉视频直播檛 believe his ears and he is still sceptical that the matter is finally resolved.
香蕉视频直播淚 think it香蕉视频直播檚 all smoke and mirrors, but we香蕉视频直播檒l see,香蕉视频直播� he said.
Furstenau said she香蕉视频直播檚 looking for clarity on the issue from the ministry.
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香蕉视频直播淲hat the minister said and what Jon [Coleman] is telling me are two different things,香蕉视频直播� she said.
香蕉视频直播淭here are still no Cowichan Tribes companies working on the site and I香蕉视频直播檓 still waiting for some documentation from the ministry on this issue.香蕉视频直播�
Work was halted at the hospital香蕉视频直播檚 construction site on Bell McKinnon Road for 11 days in December after KDC companies, which had been clearing the site and hauling gravel for some time, set up a protest line at the entrance.
The companies and their workers were protesting the fact that BC Infrastructure Benefits, which provides the qualified skilled trades workforce for the construction of public infrastructure projects in B.C., refused KDC a permit to continue to work at the site because none of its companies and workers are members of unions accepted by the corporation.
The protest lines were taken down on Dec. 13, although the dispute was still unresolved, and negotiations continued.
But a letter of understanding recently surfaced between BCIB and the Allied Infrastructure and Related Construction Council, which represents 19 construction unions, regarding work at the site.
The letter, dated Nov. 8, 2022, while negotiations were ongoing, states that all workers and companies engaged in earthworks, civil and utilities work at the new Cowichan hospital site must be affiliated with the Teamsters union.
Furstenau had raised the issue of the letter of understanding when Dix made his comments on Wednesday.
The ministry said it will soon release a statement.
robert.barron@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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