Fort Franklin (Jan 08/07) - A $6.8 million contract for remediation work at the former Port Radium mine has been awarded to a Northern company.

Aboriginal Engineering of Yellowknife won the contract and work to move equipment will begin within a few weeks, said office manager Bob Johnson.

The few standing structures that remain at Port Radium will be demolished this spring and summer when remediation work begins. Aboriginal Engineering, of Yellowknife, was awarded the $6.8 million contract and will begin moving equipment and vehicles to Deline in the following weeks. - photo courtesy of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada

"This is a big job for us and we've been busy getting prepared," he said.

The former Port Radium mine is located on the east side of Great Bear Lake, 677 km north of Yellowknife.

The decision to clean up the site was made by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) after the Canada-Deline Uranium Table report was released in September 2005.

Remediation work will involve demolition of the standing structures, cleaning and stabilizing waste material on site and sealing mine openings, said Johnson.

Initial mobilization of vehicles and equipment into Deline will begin shortly. Once ice melts on Great Bear Lake, the equipment will be barged across the lake, he said.

The remediation stage of the project should be completed by the fall with equipment being floated back to Deline in September, he said.

At the peak of operations, there should be 30 to 35 workers on site and Aboriginal Engineering is targeting the community of Deline for potential workers, he said. The company has averaged 80 to 95 per cent aboriginal employment on past projects, he said.

"We want to try and maximize aboriginal employment," he said.

Residents of Deline have been preparing for the project by taking training programs, said Leroy Andre, president of the Dene Land Corporation.

One environmental and hazardous waste training program offered in Deline had 45 residents apply for the course, which only had 22 slots open, he said.

After spending five years on the Canada-Deline Uranium Table, then developing criteria for the remediation project, people in the community are excited about the work opportunities.

"We are finally seeing the fruits of our labour with this project becoming a reality," he said.

"It's important to see that this work gets done."

As clean up work begins, Andre is hopeful for more training programs for residents of Deline and throughout the Sahtu region.

"We always want to maximize our return to communities," he said. "Protection of the environment, animals and the people is important."

The site is crown land and will be monitored by INAC throughout the process and after completion, said Julie Ward, with the contaminants and remediation directorate.

The contract was awarded by the federal Department of Public Works and Government Services. The Port Radium mine produced radium and uranium from 1931 to 1960. Between 1964 and 1982 it was home to a silver mine.