Agnico Eagle’s Nunavut team was honoured for their efforts in developing a strong Inuit workforce and providing support to local communities.

Agnico Eagle’s Nunavut Team Wins Prestigious Sustainability Award

Honoured for developing strong Inuit workforce

Agnico Eagle’s Community Relations, Education & People Development Team in Nunavut has been awarded the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada’s (PDAC) prestigious 2020 Sustainability Award during the PDAC annual Convention, on March 3rd, 2020.

In announcing the Sustainability Award, the PDAC said, “Agnico Eagle Mines is setting an example for the Canadian mining industry at its operations in Nunavut. The company’s Community Relations, Education & People Development team has invested extraordinary energy and resources to developing its Inuit workforce and providing support for local communities.”

The PDAC recognized the team’s efforts to support the Kivalliq region of Nunavut with training, education and community-led projects that benefit everyone, noting:

  • Since 2010, 60,000 training hours have been provided in our Nunavut sites to Inuit employees, including work readiness programs, summer employment for students, and individual career development.
  • Employees who lack literacy, numeracy skills or the confidence to take on senior roles are given support to fill those gaps through adult educator support directly on-site.
  • Agnico Eagle has established initiatives in schools designed to inspire students to further their education, including a trades awareness week, mine site visits, and career information days.
  • There are Community Liaison Officers available in the seven Kivalliq communities to provide job information, maintain personal contact with employees, and identify ways to support families and participation in community events.
  • A role model program recognizes exemplary Inuit employees that might inspire others to achieve personal and work success.
  • A pool of donated funds annually supports community-specific projects such as a summer camp for children, removing and transporting hazardous material from landfill sites, and repairing baseball fields.
  • Agnico Eagle provides financial support for Nunavut-based organizations that provide literacy and skills training. For example, a mine training society for the whole Kivalliq region is helping to relieve the skills shortage in Nunavut by providing Inuit with the knowledge to pursue valuable credentials such as trade and cooking certificates and driver’s licenses.

Jason Allaire, Director Shared Services Nunavut took some time in his speech to recognize the implication of the community members and the employees’ devotion over the years.

“I want to thank the Kivalliq communities for their trust, the team who is present tonight, as well as our employees who, day after day, continue to contribute in their own unique way to Agnico Eagle’s legacy. It’s all about the people, and we couldn’t have done it without them.”

Congratulations to everyone on the Community Relations, Education & People Development Team in Nunavut who made this achievement possible!

The PDAC Sustainability Award annually honours an individual or organization demonstrating outstanding initiative, leadership, and accomplishment in protecting and preserving the natural environment during an exploration program, development or operation of a mine. It also recognizes efforts to establish and maintain good relations with local communities. For further details, visit the PDAC website here.