Graham Brazier, Island Tides, February 9, 2012

The citizens of Campbell River, ‘Salmon Capital of the World,’ have lived with an active coalmine in their backyard for twenty-five years. On January 25, Minister of Energy and Mines Rich Coleman made an announcement to grant Quinsam Coal Corporation a permit to extend its operations 3.5 kilometres from the present site. Though it’s too late now, it might have been useful to review the operations of Quinsam Coal Corporation (QCC) and evaluate its performance before deciding.

Dan MacLennan, Campbell River Courier-Islander, January 27, 2012

A controversial Quinsam Coal Mine expansion will go ahead as part of Victoria's BC Jobs Plan, but one opponent says the decision was more politically than environmentally motivated.

Leona Adams, Courier-Islander, August 24, 2011

In 1983 the Commission into the Quinsam Coal (QC) mine found if proper care and attention are paid to the environmental aspects of construction and operation of the mine by both the Company and the Government, the mine can be brought into existence and be operated without doing appreciable damage to the surrounding environment. Given the contamination of Long Lake, that did not happen.

W.J. Havelaar, Courier-Islander, August 24, 2011

Twenty years from now the few jobs created by expanding Quinsam Coal will be long-forgotten. If there are any jobs on that site then, they will be for remediation, and paid for by taxpayers.

Dan MacLennan, Campbell River Courier-Islander, August 19, 2011

Environmental concerns continue to dog a proposed expansion of the Quinsam Coal mine, but local political support appears to be growing for the project.

Both were obvious at a Quinsam Coal open house last Thursday and at Tuesday's city council meeting.

Courier-Islander, January 26, 2011

Concerns about arsenic levels in Long Lake have resulted in increased monitoring of Quinsam Coal Corp.'s mining activities and enforcement of provincial regulations, says an official with the Ministry of Environment, but the lake will not be declared a contaminated site.

Dan MacLennan, Campbell River Courier-Islander, January 21, 2011

Groups opposed to a Quinsam Coal Mine expansion proposal have enlisted some prominent environmental legal help, and expanded media coverage of the issue at the same time.

By Gerry Belet, Vancouver Sun, January 20, 2011

Province asked to determine whether Long Lake is contaminated site

Four environmental groups want the provincial government to determine if Long Lake -- 30 kilometres west of Campbell River -- should be declared a contaminated site based on high levels of arsenic found in the sediment.

A News, January 19, 2011

News Release, Ecojustice, Jan 19, 2011

Recent studies point to arsenic contamination from nearby Quinsam coal mine

VANCOUVER — Four groups have written to BC Government officials seeking a determination of whether Long Lake, 30km west of Campbell River on Vancouver Island, is a contaminated site due to elevated arsenic levels in the lake sediments.

Dan MacLennan, Courier-Islander, November 26, 2010

Arsenic levels in the Quinsam River watershed are increasing because of the Quinsam Coal Mine, says the UBC scientist studying the issue, and to suggest otherwise - as the company has done - is a "gross distortion" of the facts.

by Ray Grigg, Shades of Green, October 25, 2010

Anyone who thinks a proposal for a new or expanded mine is inconsequential should think again. Since most mines are temporary, the short-term economic benefits they offer may hide more environmental trouble than communities, citizens and their governments imagined was possible. This is why every conceivable precaution must be taken to warrant against environmental damage from mines - and even that may not be enough.

Dan Maclennan, Courier-Islander, October 22, 2010

Hillsborough Resources officials and city councillors avoided the elephant in council chambers Tuesday when the company came to discuss its Quinsam Coal mining expansion proposal.