The President of the Steelworkers Local 9316 says a funding agreement to keep the Come by Chance oil refinery in warm idle is not what the workers wanted, but it is cause for optimism.

Glen Nolan was responding to news of a $16.6-million funding agreement between the province and North Atlantic Refining Limited Partnership, announced just hours before the provincial election call was made.

The agreement will help to support 75 per cent of eligible labour costs of refinery employees and 50 per cent of eligible non-labour costs to keep the refinery in warm idle.

The support will last until the end of June, or until the refinery is restarted or resold.

Nolan says workers are disappointed, but there is some light at the end of the tunnel. He says it leaves them with hope that the facility may be restarted.

Nolan says they’ve been assured that the facility will not become a tank farm.