The other day, on CFJC-TV news, Jim Anderson, executive director of Venture Kamloops said, “When a business is looking to relocate, one of the first questions they ask is, ‘what is the access to health care like in your community?’ and if you’re not able to say that you have enough doctors, then you take yourself out of the running.”

We all know that Kamloops has a severe shortage of doctors already. Ten thousand people here do not have a family physician. How can we expect that number to improve if we also already know that KGHM Ajax will scare more doctors away?

The survey conducted by a group of physicians in November 2012 concluded that if the Ajax mine is approved, Kamloops could have a hard time attracting and keeping physicians. The result is that we will also have a difficult time attracting new business. That doesn’t sound like it would be very good for our economy.

When all Ajax has to offer is a temporary boost to our economy, shouldn’t we be concerned with all the other businesses that won’t come here because of the shortage of doctors, which will be made worse if Ajax is approved?

JORDAN LAWRENCE

Kamloops