Stephanie McDonald
Northern News Services
Monday, March 19, 2007

IQALUIT - The Government of Nunavut launched its Mineral Exploration and Mining Strategy earlier this month in a bid to maximize the industry's opportunities.

'The goal of the strategy is to create the conditions for a strong and sustainable minerals industry that contributes to a high and sustainable quality of life for all Nunavummiut,' said David Simailak, Minister of Economic Development and Transportation.

The four 'pillars' of the strategy are community benefits, infrastructure development, jurisdictional framework and environmental stewardship.

'All four pillars are very important,' said Simailak. The former two 'would be a major benefit to those communities that are affected by development in their area.'

'We needed to make sure Nunavut's economy is developed responsibly,' he said.

Some of the changes coming include electronic staking replacing ground staking, creating a one-window system where all project proposals would go to the Nunavut Planning Commission and implementing public school curriculum in earth sciences and mining.

The strategy predicts that 1,500 new mine-related jobs will be created in the next 10 years.

'These positions will be filled through education and training,' the minister said.

While there have been expressed doubts about the ability of the Nunavut workforce to fill these new positions, Simailak referred to construction of the road to the Meadowbank mine site.

Sixty-seven people are employed on the project, 45 of whom are local workers. Simailak attributes this high number to training that has happened in the territory.

To help prepare for the boom, Nunavut will develop a mine training initiative as part of its strategy.

Peter Gillin, chairman and chief executive officer of Tahera Diamond Corp., said finding Northern hires isn't yet a huge issue for the Jericho mine, which is located in the Kitikmeot region.

Tahera has set a benchmark of 60 per cent Inuit employment by the fifth year of operations in mid-2011. Currently, 30 per cent of the 90 workers at the mine are Inuit.

The strategy is a nice thing to see, added Gillin.

'We're pleased that they've done it and we're in favour of it,' he said. 'Articulation and clarity is always a good thing.

'(It) provides the mineral exploration and mining industry with confidence that Nunavut welcomes sustainable mining and the benefits it can bring, and provides a stable environment for its development.'

One of the things the strategy does is recognize community consultation costs are not currently considered exploration expenses under the Investment Tax Credit for Exploration. This puts limits on how a mining firm can pay for such a gathering.

The Government of Nunavut (GN) is now committed to lobbying the federal government to have these costs re-classified as exploration expenses.

'I think it's something that's needed. We in the GN endorse that,' Simailak said.