Inuit and Baffinland Iron Mines Corp. are together grappling with the main issues related to the companySA国际影视传媒檚 Phase 2 bid in a series of risk assessment workshops.
The first took place at the Mary River mine site in January, the second took place in Trois-Rivi猫res, Quebec in February.
photo courtesy of Baffinland Iron Mines Corp.
against the companySA国际影视传媒檚 proposal to build a 110-kilometre railway from the mine site to Milne Inlet and a further increase in production.
SA国际影视传媒淲ithout knowing how we will be impacted, how we will be affected SA国际影视传媒� the community or wildlife SA国际影视传媒� we didnSA国际影视传媒檛 want the railroad before we got more information.,SA国际影视传媒� said the Mittimatalik HTASA国际影视传媒檚 Caleb Sangoya.
In mid-February, Baffinland brought elders and hunters and trappers organization (HTO/HTA) representatives from Arctic Bay, Clyde River, Hall Beach, Iglulik, and Pond Inlet down to Trois-Rivi猫res for a workshop which explored, among other items, what a railway would mean exactly.
SA国际影视传媒淎s there are no rail operations in Nunavut, it was important for workshop attendees to have a first-hand look at what these operations would look like at Mary River,SA国际影视传媒� stated BaffinlandSA国际影视传媒檚 director of corporate sustainability Megan Lord-Hoyle in an email.
Sangoya says the efforts the company is making to provide information are useful.
SA国际影视传媒淰ery useful, for me,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
This is good news overall, since lack of information is often cited as an impediment to fully move forward with the Mary River mine in submission after submission to regulatory authorities on a project which has seen multiple changes over several years.
Inuit concerns about the railway include that it will block trails SA国际影视传媒� both for Inuit and wildlife. A possible solution for both is bridges over the railway.
SA国际影视传媒淏ridges would be helpful,SA国际影视传媒� said Sangoya, adding community representatives took many opportunities to discuss among themselves.
Sangoya also says, about the trip to Trois-Rivi猫res, that he learned the railway could reduce dust and pollution, in comparison to trucks on the existing tote road. He said he thinks the railway is a much better proposition to the existing trucking.
In the past, the company has said the rail project, estimated at under $1 billion, is the better proposition, and that SA国际影视传媒渋t doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 make sense to truck 12 million tons of ore on a (Milne) tote road.SA国际影视传媒�
Another aspect of the Phase 2 proposal is that dramatic increase in production to 12 million tons of ore, , means increased shipping through sensitive marine areas.
SA国际影视传媒淲e have great concerns about it, because of wildlife issue, including the sea mammals. The beluga whales, seals, and fish, and so on,SA国际影视传媒� said Sangoya.
SA国际影视传媒淎t the port and everywhere, all the way from when they enter Baffin Bay all the way to Milne Inlet. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 the same as the roads. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 already an impact now, so if theySA国际影视传媒檙e going to increase the ships thereSA国际影视传媒檚 going to be much more impact.SA国际影视传媒�
Compensation is an ongoing discussion.
But, ultimately, Sangoya says Inuit want a stake in the resource companies SA国际影视传媒� Inuit want to be partners in resource development.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 not on the table, yet,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
SA国际影视传媒淲e talk about it, but weSA国际影视传媒檝e never put it into an agreement SA国际影视传媒� yet. Not enough benefits come to the communities.SA国际影视传媒�
Sangoya says the company seems to be listening to Inuit, but listening or not, SA国际影视传媒渢he NIRB (Nunavut Impact Review Board) has to approve it.SA国际影视传媒�
A NIRB-led technical meeting has been scheduled for April 8-10 at the Royal Canadian Legion Air Cadet Hall in Iqaluit.
In a letter dated March 6, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada informed NIRB that the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, the Hamlet of Pond Inlet, the Hamlet of Iglulik, the Mittimatalik HTA, the Hall Beach HTO, and the Nunavut Independent Television Network would each receive for the Baffinland process, for an overall total of $262,609.
A third Baffinland-led risk-assessment workshop is scheduled to take place the week of May 6 at the Mary River Mine.
Following several other steps, a public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 16 to 21 in Pond Inlet, a change in date from . NIRB then intends to submit its final report on its recommendations about the phase 2 proposal to the federal government by Nov. 5.
