Arctic Bay pleads with Breakwater to save mine infrastructure

DENISE RIDEOUT

With just one month before a public hearing on the closure of the Nanisivik mine, residents of Arctic Bay and Nanisivik are full of questions about the fate of the town site and infrastructure, and whether contaminated land and water will be cleaned up.

At a June 6 meeting in Arctic Bay, residents made their plea once again to the mine’s owner, Breakwater Resources Ltd. of Toronto asking the company to hand over equipment, vehicles and buildings to the community rather than bury them in the pits of the mine.

After 26 years of mining nickel, the company is shutting down its operation in September because the ore reserves have run out.

Two weeks ago, officials with the mining company, the Nunavut Water Board, the territorial government and federal government departments travelled to Arctic Bay to prepare residents for the upcoming public hearing.

The officials wanted input on how the July 22 public hearing should run and they outlined exactly how Breakwater Resources will close the mine and clean up the surrounding environment.

According to minutes provided by the Nunavut Water Board, about 40 people from Arctic Bay and Nanisivik came to the meeting.

What will happen to the equipment, mine infrastructure and buildings such as the school and health centre were top priorities for many of the residents.

“Some vehicles can be used by people here and they can be tendered out to people in Arctic Bay because we have no trucks,” suggested resident Tommy Tatatuapik.

“We see that using the vehicles is better than burying it.”

Tatatuapik also expressed concern that the roads around the mine site would be covered over once it shuts down.

“I’m requesting that the roads to the lakes stay open. I feel the road to Kahulu Lake should be intact because people go fishing there,” he said.

The manager of Nanisivik mine, Bill Heath, tried to ease residents’ minds.

“We would like to leave a positive legacy,” he told them. “We believe that Arctic Bay can benefit from things at the mine and we are making arrangements. Daycare, school, health and other equipment — we’ll transport it to Arctic Bay.”

Rebekah Uqi Williams, the MLA for Arctic Bay and Nanisivik, questioned whether the mine’s owner has the money to pay for the environmental clean-up of the site. “We hear that the funding is not enough. If it isn’t enough, who will pay for it?” she asked.

Heath pointed out that Breakwater Resources has posted a $6-million security fund to cover the clean-up costs in case the company goes bankrupt. “It is not our intention to walk away from our responsibilities,” he said.

During the meeting, officials also agreed that the public and the agencies involved in the closure of the mine — which include the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, the GN, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Water board — should take a tour of the mine site.

They said it will give people a chance to see the buildings and equipment that will be reclaimed or decommissioned after Breakwater stops mining.

The mine tour is scheduled for July 23, when the agencies will be in town for the public hearing.