PotashCorp's Sussex mine shutdown sends shockwaves around province

The shutdown of the PotashCorp's Picadilly mine is sending shockwaves across the province, with thePort of Saint John among the first to feel the effect of the closure.

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At an open house inApril2015, the port laidout plans for a new access road and rail sidings at the Potash terminal, potentially more than doubling thenumber of ships calling to 130 from60.

The plans came to ahalt with Tuesday'sannouncement.In future, the only potash coming to Saint John will be from Saskatchewan.

Jim Quinn, chief executive officer of the Port says, the volume of shipments will be one-third less than expected.

Pat Riley, the business agent for Local 273, the union representing Saint John Longshoremen,says they were "completely shocked."

"Nobody saw this coming," he says.

Riley says 15 of hismembers work full time at the potash terminal and more are added when a potash ship is loading.

He says he isstill waiting to hear what the reduced business will mean for his members.

"Nobody we know knew that this mine was going to have to suspend its operations for not months, but a year at least, and in all likelihood, years," said Riley.

'Such a blow'

Saint John Coun.Gerry Lowe says he was lookingforward to the terminal expansion.

It would move trucks away from south-end homes,while generating tens of millions of dollars in construction work.

Now there will be no constructionand no trucks.

"It's such a blow," Lowe said.

In the spring of 2015 the mine manager in Sussex talked of keeping the old Penobsquis mine operating for another six years alongside the new Picadillymine,producingextra port traffic for Saint John.

In October,that plan was dropped and 140 workers at the old mine were sent home. As it turned out, the brand new Picadilly mine wasnext in line.