HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s labour minister is to give an update today on the safety status of the Donkin coal mine, which was put under a stop-work order in August following a rockfall.

Jill Balser is expected to be joined by Andrew Corkum, a geological expert and professor at Dalhousie University’s department of civil and resource engineering.

Corkum was hired by the Labour Department in late September to look at the root causes of safety incidents at the underground mine.

He was also tasked with determining whether mine owner Kameron Coal is doing all it can to mitigate roof falls and keep workers safe.

Located in Cape Breton, the mine has laid off its 130 workers and placed its operation in an “idled state” with no timeline to resume work.

The province issued its stop-work order after a July 15 rockfall that was characterized by government officials as “significant.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 15, 2023.

The Canadian Press