Sydney Steel Corporation Business Plan 2005-06 (continued)

Core Business Areas

The following are the six core business functions for the Corporations. The ‘Core Business Function’ of Local Supplies and Labor from previous years’ business plans remains a priority but is now included throughout all of the core business areas as an objective. The existing function, Support other agencies and initiatives, has now been officially recognized. The Corporations will also use these business areas to provide meaningful employment to the local community through which skills can be increased to improve the employability of participants.

Demolition – Demolition has been taking place since June 2001 and work will continue with the demolition of the remaining structures in the demolition schedule. Removing structures from the site is essential to the site’s redevelopment as an industrial park. This work will be performed so as to reduce the financial obligation to the Province. This includes harvesting scrap from the demolition project for re-sale.

Priorities for 2005-2006

• Have demolition of site complete by September 2005.
• Use local labor and supplies when the proper skills, training, and feasibility exist.
• Have scrap metal processed and ready for sale by December 2005.

Site Remediation – The Corporations will continue to remediate the steel plant site in a safe and economical fashion for the intended future use as an industrial park. This work will be undertaken to address the Province’s environmental obligations and in the interests of longer term community and economic development.

Priorities for 2005-2006

• Have commenced Phase IV environmental site assessment (ESA) work on four areas of the site and have a Phase III ESA in progress on the remainder by the end of March 2006.
• Engage in the sixth and final phase of the ESA by 2009 for all areas of the site.
• Remove remaining 1km of old oil and tar lines by November 2005.
• Remove all remaining PCB’s and asbestos from the site by September 2005.

Sale of air-cooled blast furnace slag, scrap metal, and major equipment – The Corporations are working to market and ultimately sell the remaining major equipment of SYSCO, market and sell any scrap metal that is harvested in the demolition process, and find markets for air-cooled blast furnace slag. During the past year the Tar Ponds Incinerator was declared surplus and is currently being marketed with the remaining major equipment.

Priorities for 2005-2006

• Harvest and sell remaining scrap metal achieving sales of $6 million under current market conditions.
• Sell remaining major equipment.
• Sell minimum of 100,000 tonnes of air-cooled blast furnace slag.
• Remove all sold assets of the steel plant from the site.
• Complete the study of value-added alternative uses of slag and create an action plan by March 2006.

Site redevelopment – The location of SYSCO is ideal for an industrial park and the Corporations are focusing on initiatives to help develop the site as a premier industrial park. The Corporations also continue to work on other future directions and opportunities for smaller areas of the site.

Priorities for 2005-2006

• Assist the Whitney Pier Historical Society in their efforts to develop a walking trail adjacent to the SYSCO site by making resources and land available when required and within reason.
• Finish renovating and refurbishing buildings designated for use in the industrial park.
• Open front-end of SYSCO site to the public in 2006 and develop related infrastructure
• Sign leases with two new tenants for the industrial park.
• Redevelop the Corporations’ web-site with its primary function to be a sales tool promoting the industrial park and the assets for sale.
• Develop a marketing plan for the industrial park.
  

Support other agencies and initiatives as required – SERL will continue to provide technical and administrative support and other resources to support SYSCO’s mission, as well as the work of other organizations on a contractual, as needed basis.

Priorities for 2005-2006

• Continually supply well trained labor, on-time and without interruption.

Health and safety and site security – The Corporations will continue to uphold their high standards of health and safety in order to minimize the risk to workers, visitors, tenants, suppliers, and any others who may visit the site. The Corporations will also undertake initiatives to prevent the loss and/or damage of provincial property by protecting site assets.

Priorities for 2005-2006

• Ensure all employees have taken Occupational Health and Safety training sponsored by the Corporations by April, 2005 (or provide verification that training has been previously obtained) or be ineligible to work.
• Hold “toolbox” meetings with area supervisors and staff at least weekly and document meetings.
• Perform monthly health and safety inspections on work areas.
• Hold monthly Health and Safety Committee meetings.
• Maintain valuable, easily transportable, and readily transferable assets in a secure, central location so as to minimize the potential for loss.