On Jan. 31, Baffinland Iron Mines filed its closing statement to the Nunavut Impact Review Board in support of its proposed phase two expansion of the Mary River Mine.

The proposed timeline for the Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB) to reach its decision and forward findings to the federal minister of Northern Affairs was 45 days from BaffinlandSA国际影视传媒檚 closing statement being submitted. However, due to the SA国际影视传媒渙verwhelmingSA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒漲uantity of information to digest, the regulatory body concluded an additional 60 days is required.

An extensive record of technical reviews, community information sessions, public hearings, roundtables and conferences stretching back to late 2018 must be navigated.

Covid-19 has also played a role in slowing down the timeline. The cancellation of planned in-person meetings, transition to modified practices and measures and limitations on travel all played a role in this extension.

Among the highlights in BaffinlandSA国际影视传媒檚 closing statement are plenty of commitments, including iron ore dust mitigation measures, chief of which hinge on the approval of a 110-kilometre railway from the mine site to Milne Inlet. There are increases planned to Inuit-led monitoring and to help fund a Qikiqtani Inuit Association Inuit Stewardship Plan and Inuit Committees, as well as plans for three new Inuit-staffed wildlife monitoring stations.

Baffinland says the monitoring stations will create 24 new jobs for Inuit, they also highlighted the existing economic opportunities presented to residents of north Qikiqtani, with as many as 75 people from Pond Inlet and 80 from Sanirajak working at Mary River.

In an email to Nunavut News Baffinland says it has made commitments SA国际影视传媒渢hat will see employment from five impacted communities increase by over 200 per yearSA国际影视传媒� for the first three years of Phase Two.

Bernard Choquette of Iqaluit, quoted by Baffinland in its closing statement, said there are SA国际影视传媒渙ver 300 Inuit working at the mine.SA国际影视传媒� Baffinland has committed $1.5 million annually for Inuit training for the 17 years that the mine is expected to remain in production.

In total, royalties to Inuit are SA国际影视传媒渃onservatively estimated at $2.4 billion,SA国际影视传媒� if phase two is approved.

The Government of Nunavut is in line to receive $680 million in taxes and payments while the Government of Canada stands to collect $1.7 billion in revenue.

The mine is projected to add $30 billion to the Canadian economySA国际影视传媒檚 gross domestic product over its lifespan.

Commodity prices for iron ore continue to be strong, reaching over $200 a tonne in July 2021. As of Feb. 8, it sat at $148 per tonne.

The mining company also noted in its closing statement that a majority of hamlets in north Baffin said the phase two expansion should be approved.

SA国际影视传媒淏affinland recognizes the time devoted to reviewing the project proposal and participating in the assessment, and is especially grateful to the north Baffin communities,SA国际影视传媒� the summary reads.

Request for comment was made to the hamlets of Pond Inlet and Arctic Bay but no response was received as of press deadline.

Lingering environmental concerns

Support in those two communities has not been unanimous. In February 2021, a group of residents from Pond Inlet and Arctic Bay known as the Nuluujaat Land Guardians set up a blockade at the mineSA国际影视传媒檚 airstrip and tote road. The protesters were opposed to the increased shipping proposed by Baffinland, due to the potential effects on the landscape and wildlife.

The blockade ended in an injunction that caused the protesters to leave Mary River Mine, or face being detained by the .

Also opposed to the phase two expansion on environmental grounds is Oceans North, who has noted a 50 per cent decline in the narwhal population since the mine opened around Milne Inlet, the site from which iron ore is shipped overseas.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 probably safe to say we donSA国际影视传媒檛 even fully appreciate and understand the problem yet,SA国际影视传媒� said Chris Debicki, vice-president of policy development with Oceans North, SA国际影视传媒淏affinland has pointed to other potential causes to the 50 per cent decline in narwhal, but there are a lot of unanswered questions with respect to whatSA国际影视传媒檚 going on in the narwhal population.SA国际影视传媒�

An effective monitoring system from Baffinland SA国际影视传媒渉as yet to be developed,SA国际影视传媒� noted Debicki, who adds the most reliable information Oceans North gets is from local harvesters and not from Baffinland.

NIRB is expected to file its final recommendations by Friday, May 13.