Alberta coal company mining Sydney for workers

Are you a former Cape Breton miner? If so, an Alberta coal company is looking for you.

Representatives of Grand Cache Coal are in Sydney this week to try to lure experienced miners out west.

"We know the experienced miners we're after are going to be a little older. That's specifically what we're after," said David Milne, the company's superintendent of human resources.

Milne said this is a great time to be in the coal business. Prices are going up, the company is expanding and it can sell all of the coal it produces.

But to meet the demand, the company needs to fill 75 positions.

Milne said almost 50 people a day have been inquiring about the jobs.

Greg MacLean is one of the people trying to sell them on Grand Cache. He left Cape Breton 13 years ago to work for the company, because, he said, there didn't seem to be a future in Cape Breton coal mining.

"I took the severance that was offered at Devco and I went out to Grand Cache," MacLean said.

MacLean said Grand Cache, which is north of Jasper National Park,is a booming community thanks to the coal industry.

But one of the job applicants wonders why he has to leaveCape Bretonto find work.

"It's very frustrating when you have to leave your home and leave your family in order to go somewhere else for work when we have it all right here," said Donald MacInnis.

Many former coal miners are pinning their hopes on the Donkin mine.

Aspokesperson for the company behind the project,Xstrata,says drilling is underway at the site to test for coal quality.

A decision will be made this spring on the feasibility of opening the mine, which could employ as many as 250 people.