Nunavut MLA questions need for second mine training centre

This new residence at the Kitikmeot’s Nunavut Arctic College campus is just the first step in a $39 million upgrade which will lead to the Kitikmeot Mining Training Centre in 2021. (FILE PHOTO)

In 2021, Nunavut students will be able to prepare for mining careers in Cambridge Bay at the Kitikmeot Mining Training Centre, now in the design stage.

But the territorial government’s plan to invest $39 million in this centre, which involves a big upgrade to the Nunavut Arctic College campus in the western Nunavut hub, came as a surprise to Rankin Inlet North MLA Tom Sammurtok.

That’s because Rankin Inlet is already home to a mining training school, Sanatuliqsarvik, which opened in 2010.

The large amount earmarked by the Government of Nunavut for the Kitikmeot Mining Training Centre clearly puzzled Sammurtok, who spoke June 1 in the legislature’s committee of the whole, which was examining the GN’s additional financial requirements for various capital projects.

“This government is looking to build a mine training centre in the Kitikmeot. We have a perfectly good mine training centre which was built to provide services to all Nunavummiut,” Sammurtok said.

“I’m just curious as to why there is duplication of another mine training centre when we have a mine training centre already operating. ”

Sammurtok learned that roughly $900,000 is to be allocated for the Kitikmeot Mining Training Centre in 2016-17, followed by $2,730,000 in 2018-19 for this project.

“In 2019-20 it goes up to $18,640,000, and in 2020-21 it goes up to $17 million; for a total of $39,274,000,” Sammurtok said.

The $904,000 is earmarked for the design of the mining training school, said Finance Minister and Cambridge Bay MLA Keith Peterson, explaining what the money would go towards.

Peterson said the buildings in the existing Kitikmeot NAC campus are all between 35 and 45 years old and that limits the programs which can be offered.

“I’m not sure why they just say the Kitikmeot campus is [called] a mine training centre, but part of the campus would, of course, include mine training programs, but there are other programs that they would focus on as well; language, culture, education, and health career types such as nursing, social work, office administration, and others—maybe even law programs down the road.”

Peterson said the Canadian High Arctic Research Station, set to open July 1 in Cambridge Bay, will open up new career opportunities for Nunavummiut.

“The bottom line is,” Peterson said, “there is an old campus there that is limiting the opportunities for Nunavummiut to take programs closer to home.”

But Sammurtok said he’s concerned about a duplication of services.

“I guess I’m just curious as to why there’s a need for a duplicate mine training centre when we have a perfectly good operating mine training centre for Nunavut,” Sammurtok said, referring to information given to the standing committee from the finance department that said “the new campus will focus on mine training”.

“I would like a clarification on that,” he said.

Education Minister Paul Quassa then said the mine training program at the NAC would be a “targeted program.”

“With respect to the one in Rankin Inlet, let’s be clear that this is a trades school and it falls more into the category of employment training, and that’s why its name is ‘Sanatuliqsarvik Trade School.'”

The program being offered in Cambridge Bay, would be geared towards mining, he said, whereas the one in Rankin Inlet is focused on trades, Quassa said.

In the committee of the whole June 2, Sammurtok had another opportunity to question spending disparities between his region and the Kitikmeot region, when discussions centred on a $2 million contribution the GN is giving to advance the Grays Bay road and port project, combination that some say could unlock billions in mineral revenues.

“I would encourage this government to also take the same approach with the Manitoba-Nunavut hydro and road from Manitoba to the Kivalliq because by 2019 we will have two operating mines in Nunavut,” Sammurtok said. “These two mines are going to make a huge impact on the [GDP] for Nunavut. I would strongly encourage this government to do the same thing that they’re doing for the Kitikmeot for the Kivalliq as well.”

The Kivalliq road project is “still a high priority project,” Peterson assured him.