Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

SANIRAJAK/HALL BEACH
There are only two things that stop mining projects, according to Advanced Explorations Inc. president and CEO John Gingerich - environmental compliance and community relations.

John Gingerich, president and CEO of Advanced Explorations Inc. - photo courtesy Advanced Explorations Inc.

The company, which is advancing its Roche Bay iron exploration project near Hall Beach, has put the environment and community relations at the forefront of its operations, Gingerich told News/North, and boasts support for the project from the region as a result.

"We realize that if there's not buy-in from the local communities, or if there's a fatal flaw in the environment, there's no point in putting money in a project," Gingerich said in response to criticism levelled against the company by a Hall Beach resident who has said the company has not given the community regular information about the project and does not have the support of the Hall Beach community.

Hall Beach Mayor Paul Haulli said his council and colleagues are aware of the developments at the Roche Bay project and are in support of the project for the future of the hamlet's youth.

"When the older people are passed, they're going to need jobs to survive," Haulli said. "In order for them to survive or pass on life they will need the jobs in order to support their families, so myself, I am supporting it."

The development of a Roche Bay Project Committee, which was announced last November by the company, is continuing to be developed, Haulli said, and will include representatives from council, from the hunters and trappers association, Qikiqtani Inuit Association, and Advanced Explorations officials for ongoing dialogue.

The Hall Beach resident, who wrote a letter to News/North, compared the community engagement over the Roche Bay Project to Baffinland Iron Mines Corp.'s Mary River project, which recently went through the environmental review process.

While the resident said Baffinland has gone much further to address the concerns the Inuit have about the Mary River project, Advanced Explorations is just at the forefront of getting involved in the environmental review process, Gingerich said, and despite setting a target date to begin construction on the Roche Bay project in 2015-16, the project's environmental impact statement has not even been filed yet.

"That is the beginning of the process, so certainly it's presumptuous of anybody to state that things are going to happen without all the permits in place," Gingerich said. "We certainly don't do anything without prior approvals."

In addition to the Roche Bay Project Committee, the company has held public meetings in the community on an ongoing basis, even though the environmental review process has not started, said Bernie Swarbrick, vice-president of capital projects and technical studies for Advanced Explorations.

In addition to employing community residents on drilling programs, the company buys all its supplies from the communities, has two houses in Hall Beach and supports community activities such as rescues and the whale hunt, Swarbrick added.

The Roche Bay project should not be compared to Baffinland's Mary River project, Haulli said.

"We're trying to look at the future and we want to create jobs for this younger generation," Haulli said, noting the community could benefit from more employment with both projects going ahead. "Everybody will not be able to get jobs from Baffinland so once we get the Roche Bay going too, from the Hall Beach side, the Iglulik side, there will be quite a few numbers working there too."

Once filed, Advanced Explorations' environmental impact study will include data collected since 2006, Gingerich said, because the company has been studying the project's impact on the animals, land, ocean and rivers around Roche Bay since before drilling started at the property.

"We had a vice-president of environment before we had a vice-president of exploration," Gingerich said. "We've put tremendous amounts of due diligence into ensuring that the environmental data is maintained, up to date and we make sure that if there's any question whatsoever as to the levels of work to be done we do more than is required. We never look to meet the minimum standard."

More than $50 million has been spent to date on the project, Gingerich said, including feasibility study work, drilling, and environmental studies.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.