Heading into public hearing, Nunavut, Agnico Eagle disagree over caribou

Representatives of Agnico Eagle Mines and the Kivalliq Inuit Association sign an Inuit impact and benefit agreement for the Whale Tail gold mine project on June 15, 2017 in Baker Lake. The project will soon enter a public hearing before the Nunavut Impact Review Board. (PHOTO COURTESY OF AGNICO EAGLE)

Parties planning to attend the upcoming public session on Agnico Eagle Ltd.’s Whale Tail gold mine project near Baker Lake have plenty to read and think about between now and the public hearing set for between Sept. 19 and Sept. 22 in Baker Lake before the Nunavut Impact Review Board.

That’s because the mining company submitted a 208-page document to the NIRB Aug. 28, responding to multiple opinions expressed by stakeholders.

This document contains detailed responses to comments that the NIRB received from such groups as the Baker Lake Hunters and Trappers Organization, Inuit organizations and the Government of Nunavut about Agnico Eagle’s Whale Tail project.

Despite the heavy use of acronyms and diplomatic jargon like “values” and “appreciates” in the document, it’s likely that big, unresolved issues around caribou will be among topics discussed in Baker Lake.

Much of the discussion on caribou in Agnico Eagle’s response is heavily technical.

But the unresolved point between the GN and Agnico Eagle about caribou management is simple: the GN wants the mining company to commit to various measures to protect caribou before the Whale Tail mine opens.

But Agnico Eagle says the GN ‘s proposed terms and conditions are “monitoring specifications” that should be addressed through its Terrestrial Advisory Group.

If needed, that group will adjust the Whale Tail mine’s own Terrestrial Ecosystem Management Plan that deals, among other things, with caribou management.

Agnico Eagle says it, “values the GN’s input and these additional thoughts are appreciated.”

But the mining company doesn’t agree with the GN on several issues including how many caribou must be around for protective measures to kick in.

Agnico Eagle says the Terrestrial Advisory Group should be the body to monitor situations and suggest adaptation—and the company also mentions in several places that the Caribou Strategy Framework from the GN was not even delivered in August as promised.

Agnico Eagle also responded to comments from the Baker Lake HTO which called for the Whale Tail mine to contribute infrastructure to the community of about 2,000 people.

The HTO says it wants assurances that Agnico Eagle and the Kivalliq Inuit Association would work to ensure that “legacy benefits in the form of infrastructure and housing are provided to the community of Baker Lake.”

The HTO said that Baker Lake “has not received substantial permanent benefits” from the Meadowbank gold project—Agnico Eagle’s first Nunavut gold mine, which lies 50 kilometres northwest of the proposed Whale Tail site and about 85 km from Baker Lake.

“While the employment opportunities have been very helpful for many families, when the gold runs out, we will not have any lasting benefits. We have seen no major improvements to our infrastructure or housing stock as a result of mining,” the HTO said.

In response, Agnico Eagle suggested the HTO look for its fair share of Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement money from the KivIA, but it also said it would work with Baker Lake on “providing support for environmental sustainability projects that will directly benefit the hamlet, such as the Baker Lake sewage lagoon restoration or culvert replacement project.”

And Agnico Eagle promised to work with the HTO on other outstanding issues and concerns.

The HTO also noted that the mining company has said it expects the Whale Tail project would only achieve 42 per cent Inuit employment.

“This is especially concerning, because AEM’s socio-economic studies do not contain extensive discussion of barriers to employment,” the HTO said.

In its response, Agnico Eagle said, among other things, employment issues shouldn’t even be part of the NIRB process.

Agnico Eagle also addressed the comments from other groups, including the KivIA and various federal departments, to the NIRB, which will all be reviewed when representatives meet in Baker Lake.

Agnico Eagle has proposed starting the Whale Tail project in late 2018 and operating an open pit mine there for about three years, after which closure activities would occur between 2019 and 2022.

Agnico Eagle wants to truck the ore, an estimated 8.3 million tonnes, to its existing mill at Meadowbank.

The company also proposes a power plant, a helipad, a maintenance shop, a bulk fuel storage area, a waste rock storage area, a crushing facility and a laydown area. It also plans to de-water the northern end of Whale Tail lake by building dikes and do a fish-out of the area to be de-watered.

The NIRB said in 2016 that Whale Tale open pit proposal was too big for amendments to Meadowbank’s existing project certificate.

That triggered the current review which led to September’s hearing in Baker Lake. After that, the NIRB will decide whether to recommend Whale Tail for approval and what conditions to place on the operation.

The technical and roundtable sessions of the hearing will take place at the Baker Lake Community Hall from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., starting Sept. 19 and wrapping up Sept. 22.