Agnico-Eagle helps increase Nunavut’s mine-friendly skills

The Arviat Diamond Driller’s Training Program 2012 graduates included (back row, from left) Hunter Tattuinee, Chesley Nibgoarsi, Jackson Kablutsiak, George Ipkanerk, Gavin Gibbons (and in front, from left) Ovinik Pilakapsi, Miranda Uqayittuq, Leo Karetak, Andy Illungiayok, Gary Ippiak. (FILE PHOTO)

Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd. wants to “step up to the plate” when it comes to developing an Inuit workforce, said Denis Gourde, the company’s corporate director of regulatory and external affairs, at the Nunavut Mining Symposium April 9.

That includes working with the Government of Nunavut’s education department “to stimulate the interest and capacity of our future labour force.”

“Our plan is a step in the right direction, but Agnico-Eagle does not have all the answers, the mandate or resources to develop a labor force and address social impacts,” Gourde said.

Industry, governments, Inuit organizations, and hamlet leaders need to “come together to develop a long term plan to develop” Nunavut’s labour force, he said.

Agnico-Eagle operates the Meadowbank gold mine near Baker Lake — Nunavut’s sole operating mine — and has acquired the Meliadine project outside Rankin Inlet, which it hopes to put into operation in 2014 or 2015.

Priorities for education efforts include developing an earth sciences curriculum, finding multi-year support for the “mining matters” program, and creating an in-school early apprenticeship program, Gourde said.

Agnico-Eagle has already pledged up to $7 million over two years for the Kivalliq Mine Training Society, expansion of the Arviat driller training program with the Hamlet of Arviat, and a new effort with a socio-economic monitoring committee to help mine employees and their families be successful with jobs at the mines.

At the same time, Inuit companies are building up their capacity to perform through joint ventures, Gourde said during his presentation.

“The trend of increased contract awards to Inuit is expected to continue,” he said.

The budget for the Meadowbank project in 2013 is estimated at $365 million, with 34 per cent of that going towards wages — about $86 million.

With total expenditures for Meadowbank in 2012 pegged at $391.4 million, about 30 per cent was spent in Baker Lake, he said.

Of the workers at Meadowbank in 2012, 247 were Inuit.

At Meliadine, Agnico-Eagle spent $146.7 million from 2010 to 2012, and, of that, about 50 per cent went to businesses in Rankin Inlet, where in 2012, there were also 33 Inuit employed.

Major Inuit partners and joint ventures for Agnico-Eagle in Rankin Inlet included: Sakku, Sarliaq Holdings, Peter’s Expediting, Q Sana, Kivalliq Services, Arctic Fuels, Arctic Coops, Huka Services, Arctic Plumbing and Heating and M&T Enterprises.

According to Gourde’s presentation, called “How Agnico Eagle stimulates Nunavut’s Economy,” Nunavut had the highest growth of gross domestic product in Canada in 2010 and 2011 because of an increase in mining expenditures, Gourde said.

All the more reason to invest in education in Nunavut, he said.