A company that wants to operate a coal mine in the Comox Valley near Baynes Sound announced Thursday that its president has resigned from the position.
"John Tapics has resigned as an officer of the company to pursue other opportunities," Compliance Energy Corporation said in a news release.
Tapics will continue with the company in an advisory role and as a director.
Stephen Ellis, who joined Compliance last year and served as vice-president of operations, has been appointed president and chief operations officer. Grant Tanaka has been appointed chief financial officer.
“We will be able to draw on their respective underground coal mining, and financial and accounting experience as we advance the Raven Project,” chair Jim O’Rourke said.
Tapics recruited Ellis, who has an extensive coal mining career spanning more than 30 years. He hails from the United Kingdom where he worked 27 years. He holds a first class mine manager’s certificate of competency in the UK and New Zealand with mutual recognition of these in Australia.
Tanaka has a background in accounting, corporate finance, and mergers and acquisitions in the resource sector. Previously, he has held senior financial positions with New Gold and Teck Resources.
"He was already working with Copper Mountain," said Ellis, a Comox Valley resident.
Ellis said Compliance will "continue with the re-submission of the application" for the Raven Project.
"We'll be busy working with our consultants and also meeting with the EAO (Environmental Assessment Office) and the CEAA (Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency). That's going to be months, not weeks."
Last month, the provincial EAO rejected Compliance's initial application. The company expects the mine would create about 350 full-time jobs and spinoff jobs. Estimates indicate it could operate 16 years.