Twenty-three—that’s how many awards New Afton Mine has received for its safety performance.
New Afton received its tenth J.T. Ryan Award from the Canadian Institute of Mining and thirteenth Large Underground Mines Award from the Province of British Columbia’s Mine Safety Awards program during the CIM Connect conference in Montreal in May.
“Receiving these awards really demonstrates the hard work our folks put in day after day to do their work safely,” said Justin Clark, Health and Safety Manager at New Afton. “Being recognized once is great, twice is even better, but to be this consistent I think shows that health and safety is more than just something we cross off a list—it’s who we are.”
Both awards recognize mining operations that achieve the lowest injury frequency rates across different criteria. Justin adds that while winning awards is nice, they are the result of New Afton’s commitment to continually evolving their health and safety systems.
“Winning isn’t the goal,” he added. “Whether it’s our Lifesaving Behaviours campaign or our new Critical Risk Management (CRM) program, it’s important that we continue to challenge ourselves and ask hard questions—that’s where CRM comes in.”
CRM is not just a system, but a new way of thinking about safety. At its core, it simplifies the conversation, asking employees to consider what will kill them, what are they going to do to stop it, and whether the controls will work if something goes wrong.
That clarity and bluntness are intentional. CRM focuses attention on life-threatening risks, the kind of hazards that do not just cause injury but can take lives. It builds on the foundation of New Gold’s Life Saving Behaviours and takes them to the next level.
“This is Life Saving Behaviours, version two,” said Nick Neu, New Afton Mine Superintendent and recent CRM training participant. “It’s what those behaviours look like grown up. It’s visual, it’s accessible, and it’s built around how our people actually work.”
CRM has been embraced quickly across the company due to its intuitive and empowering structure. The app-based system allows frontline workers to conduct verifications in minutes. No binders or no memory tests, just simple, focused questions that help teams assess real-time risk and take action.
“Sometimes you need to talk about safety in a way that makes people uncomfortable,” Nick said. “And asking what’s going to kill you, that hits differently. It forces thought. It makes the conversation real. That shift from compliance to ownership, rules to responsibility, is changing how safety is practiced across the site.”
While these awards celebrate over a decade of leadership, discipline, and a relentless commitment to protecting employees, what matters most at New Gold is what happens daily underground and on the surface—conversations, decisions, and actions that keep people safe.
