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Mining regulations in Alberta
and British Columbia reflected the concern of authorities to
provide a stable environment in which the industry could
flourish and attract investment, and in which the danger of
accidents and their impact on life and property could be
reduced. While the state sought to co-operate with coal
companies, its policies sometimes brought officials into
conflict with owners. The result was an uneasy balance of
enforcement and neglect, particularly before the First World War
when regulations were frequently ignored and
many accidents
occurred.
In both British Columbia and
Alberta, safety standards and regulations were introduced at an
early date and gradually made more complex over time. The first
Coal Mines Act in the region appeared in British Columbia in
1877 and was intended for the coal mines of Vancouver Island.
Modeled on legislation in other jurisdictions in North America
and Europe, the provisions in this act were later applied to the
mines on the British Columbia side of the
Crowsnest Pass. In
1899, a British Columbia department of mines was created with a
separate coal mines section in it, reflecting the growing
importance of the coal sector. In the region later to become
Alberta, the coal mines were first regulated by a territorial
ordinance of 1893 that was based mainly on the legislation in
British Columbia and elsewhere. After Alberta became a province,
the Coal Mines Act of 1906 established a separate mines branch
to collect statistics and supervise the industry.1
In both
provinces, enforcement of the regulations hinged on the
inspection system. A staff of inspectors was charged with
visiting each mine regularly. The state walked a tightrope
between the concern for safety and the fear of interfering with
the ability of companies to make a profit. Before World War One,
the system was inefficient. The provinces provided insufficient
funds. Inspectors had to deal with the hostility of the managers
when they visited, and with attempts to avoid the observance of
inconvenient regulations. The situation was particularly poor in
Alberta, where the Bellevue disaster
of 1910, as well as a
number of other major accidents, occurred.
2
The provinces responded to the
large number of disasters by improving their safety regulations
and enforcement. Emergency rescue provisions were introduced
shortly before World War One. In 1915, British Columbia took the
lead in initiating a "safety first" campaign designed to educate
workers and others involved in the industry. After 1918,
improvements were made in safety observance in both provinces,
as miners and managers alike were encouraged to acknowledge
their role in contributing to a safe working environment.3
Accidents could never be completely avoided. The danger was
inherent in the physical conditions of mining, but the industry
eventually acquired a better reputation for safe practices.
William N.T. Wylie, "Coal-Mining
Landscapes: Commemorating Coal Mining in Alberta and
Southeastern British Columbia," a report prepared for the
Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, Parks Canada
Agency, 2001.
See Also:
The Coal
IndustryOverview, Rapid Expansion,
Domestic and Steam Coalfields,
1914-1947: The Struggling Industry,
Collapse and Rebirth,
Settlement of the West,
Issues and ChallengesOverview,
Entrepreneurship, Technology,
Underground Techniques,
Surface Technology,
Surface Mining,
Social Impacts,
Unions,
1882-1913: Unionization and Early Gains,
1914-1920: Revolutionary Movement,
1921-1950s: Labour Unrest and
Setbacks, Mining Companies, People of
the Coal Mines,
The Middle Class,
Miners and Local
Government,
Politics and Economics ,
Environmental Impacts,
Health and SafetyOverview,
The State and
Labour Relations,
The State and
Development after 1918,
Alberta
Coal Studies.
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