$150 million spent so far
| NWT Chamber of Commerce executive |
| President Kevin Diebold (Norman Wells). |
| Vice-president Alan Vaughan (Yellowknife). |
| Prospects North Chair Bill Braden (Yellowknife). |
| Secretary Kelly Kaylo (Yellowknife). |
| Treasurer Sean Mageean (Fort Smith). |
| Associate directors are Julia Mott, Doug Nelson, Doug Willy and Don Yamkowy (all of Yellowknife) and Cameron Clement of Hay River. |
Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services
NNSL (Mar 03/99) - The NWT Chamber of Commerce should prepare for what is apt to be the next move against development, Doug Willy said.
Cumulative effects, more specifically the lack of cumulative effects data, is "the next anti-development tool from the (environmentalists)," Willy said.
He made the comment during a brainstorming session Saturday at the NWT Chamber of Commerce annual general meeting in Hay River.
Willy is not only an associate director of the NWT Chamber of Commerce, he is also Diavik Diamond Mines' public and government relations manager.
The Diavik project is currently amid 10 days of technical hearings at the Explorer Hotel.
The hearings, part of the environmental assessment, are held by regulatory authorities Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Natural Resources Canada, Environment Canada and the GNWT and continue through Friday.
It is anticipated the NWT Chamber of Commerce will publicly support the project today or tomorrow at the Explorer. The chamber adopted a motion supporting Diavik Sunday in Hay River.
The chamber's AGM weekend also included a Diavik update delivered by Willy.
Before the first potential tonne of ore has been mined, Diavik's owners have sunk about $150 million in the project, Willy said.
By the end of 1998, $145 million was spent on the project and this year, $3 million will be spent each month, he said.
In 1999, some $2 million will go to cover community consultation while $10 million will be spent this year on environmental baseline studies.
"We've had over 250 meetings in the last three years," he said.
Willy also said government would be the mine's "single biggest earner" as it stands to make $70 million a year in royalties.
