NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

The NWT Chamber of Commerce says it is "guardedly optimistic" about the new March 31 deadline given to contractors to respond to the newly-proposed Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.

While encouraged by the appointment of Jack Rowe, co-owner of Rowe's Construction of Hay River, to the committee that will recommend new regulations to the GNWT, the president of the chamber, Ann Marie Tout, said, via press release, that the current draft set of regulations should be chucked altogether.

"...we are concerned with the ongoing commitment to the current draft regulations - particularly when every sector of the northern economy has expressed serious reservations," said Tout. "We will expect the revisions to the regulations over the next ten weeks to achieve the 'balance of northern operating realities with best safety practices and worker safety' promised by Minister (Robert) McLeod."

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