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NORTHWEST TERRITORIES/NUNAVUT
A strategy encompassing all elements of the Northern mining workforce could be in place as early as 2015, according to the NWT Mine training society.

"The plan is the territories would collaborate so there wouldn't be a reproduction of curriculum in three different jurisdictions, we'd all work on one, share experience and expertise in different areas," said Hilary Jones, general manager of the society which works in both the NWT and Nunavut.

"(The strategy) looks at everything from community engagement to remediation. The whole ball of wax, not just operational stuff."

The initiative came on the wake of the federal government's decision not to continue funding for the highly successful Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership (ASEP) program beyond last March 31.

"First and foremost I think you have to realize that ASEP was a very successful program in the North particularly and the NWT was really the leader," said Tom Hoefer, executive director of the NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines. "Both the Yukon and Nunavut then took the NWT model and used it to good effect in their territories."

While ASEP was a national program, the new strategy would have a Northern focus in order to build on past successes and address the opportunities present in Canada's three territories, Hoefer added.

Jones said NWT and Nunavut each share a need for people trained in underground mining, mineral processing, and heavy equipment operating. The Yukon has a greater focus on the development of their professional workforce training, such as degrees in mine engineering.

Hoeffer said new demands for training, such as long-haul truckers, port operators, and new types of process plan operators could emerge as projects like Hope Bay, the Izok Corridor proposal, and Ariva's uranium project take shape over the next few years.

The strategy, still in a "chatting stage," is asking for $100 million from the federal government over five years matched by industry, territorial governments and aboriginal governments from all three territories, Jones said.

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