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[1. Opening Statement]
IN CHIEF DRYGEESE TERRITORY.FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL, IT'S BEEN THE TRADITIONAL LAND OF THE YELLOWKNIVES DENE FIRST NATION.
WE RESPECT THE HISTORIES, LANGUAGES AND CULTURES OF ALL OTHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, INCLUDING THE NORTH SLAVE METIS AND ALL FIRST NATIONS, METIS AND INUIT, WHOSE PRESENCE CONTINUES TO ENRICH OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY.
[2. Approval of the agenda.]
MISS WOODWARD, ANYTHING FURTHER TO ADD TO THE AGENDA? NOTHING TO ADD. THANK YOU.THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST IN THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF.
DOES ANY MEMBER HAVE A PECUNIARY INTEREST TODAY? SEEING NONE.
[4. A presentation from Amanda Annand, a representative from Rio Tinto Diavik Diamond Mine, regarding the Social Closure Plan for Diavik.]
NEXT TO THE FIRST AND FINAL ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A PRESENTATION FROM RIO TINTO'S DIAVIK DIAMOND MINE REGARDING THE SOCIAL CLOSURE PLAN FOR DIAVIK.AMANDA IS THE SENIOR ADVISOR AND WE'LL BE PRESENTING TODAY.
SO DO YOU WANT TO CLICK? ALL RIGHT, THANKS SO MUCH.
WE'LL START WITH A LITTLE OVERVIEW OF DIAVIK.
YEAH. ALL RIGHT, SO WE BEGAN OPERATIONS IN 2003.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE? WELL, ACTUALLY, WE DON'T.
WE HAVE THREE KIMBERLITE PIPES THAT ARE NOW OPERATING A21 A154 NORTH AND A154 SOUTH.
WE JUST RECENTLY CLOSED DOWN A418 AS AN UNDERGROUND OPERATION.
WE AVERAGE AROUND 1200 EMPLOYEES AND USUALLY ABOUT HALF OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE CONTRACTORS.
WE HAVE PARTICIPATION AGREEMENTS WITH FIVE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES AND WEST KITIKMEOT, AND THOSE PARTIES, AS WELL AS THE GNWT, ARE SIGNATORIES TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENT AND THE SOCIOECONOMIC MONITORING AGREEMENT.
IN 2021, DIAVIK BECAME OR RIO TINTO BECAME THE SOLE OWNER OF DIAVIK.
SO WE ARE NOW FULLY AND WHOLLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CLOSURE.
ALL RIGHT, SO A BIT OF AN OVERVIEW ON DIVEX FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS.
WE HAVE SPENT ABOUT $9.8 BILLION BETWEEN 2000 AND 2022, 3.6 BILLION OF WHICH WAS WITH NORTHERN INDIGENOUS BUSINESSES.
THIS IS PART OF OUR SOCIOECONOMIC MONITORING AGREEMENT AND PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT COMMITMENTS.
WE HAVE SO FAR TAKEN OUT 142 MILLION CARATS OF ROUGH DIAMONDS AND HAVE PRODUCED THE SINGLE LARGEST DIAMOND IN NORTH AMERICA. ON TOP OF THAT, WE HAVE PROVIDED 25 MILLION NORTHERN EMPLOYMENT HOURS AND WE CONTRIBUTE ABOUT 10% OF THE NWT GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT.
OF NOTE 24% OF THE ANNUAL GDP IS FROM DIAMOND MINES IN THE NORTH.
OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES, WE HAVE ALSO MADE SURE THAT WE TRY TO BUILD CAPACITY IN THE NORTH.
SO WE'VE HAD 96 GRADUATES FROM THE NORTHERN LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, WHICH DIAVIK CREATED AND HAS NOW PASSED OVER TO AURORA COLLEGE.
1780 SCHOLARSHIPS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED WORTH OVER $4 MILLION SINCE WE HAVE BEEN OPERATING, AND WE ARE THE FIRST MINE IN THE NWT TO OPERATE WIND POWERED TURBINES, WHICH IS OFFSET ABOUT 43,000,000L OF DIESEL.
WE HAVE GONE THROUGH A SERIES OF SOCIOECONOMIC ASSESSMENTS, INCLUDING 2017, 2019 AND 2021.
THAT INCLUDES A LOT OF ECONOMIC FORECASTING AROUND 2020.
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WE RECOGNIZED THAT WE NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND COMMUNITIES PERSPECTIVES ON CLOSURE IMPACTS, AND SO SINCE SINCE THEN WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES AND STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE, TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS AND CAN CONTRIBUTE TO IDENTIFYING SOME OF THE EXPECTED IMPACTS FROM OUR CLOSURE.SO IT INCLUDES PA COMMUNITIES, STAFF AND LEADERSHIP.
SO VERY EARLY ON, AS WE WERE PREPARING TO GO INTO CONSTRUCTION, DIAVIK HAS ALWAYS HAD A VISION STATEMENT TO CREATE A LEGACY OF RESPONSIBLE SAFETY, ENVIRONMENTAL AND EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES AND ENDURING COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
SO WE ARE JUST CONTINUING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND.
OKAY. YOU WANT ME TO DO THOSE? SURE. SO MAYBE JUST TO HIGHLIGHT FOR A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ON COUNCIL WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE ENGAGEMENTS THAT WE DID LAST YEAR. MAYBE NOT IN THE SAME CAPACITY THAT YOU ARE NOW, AND THEN SOME OF YOU ARE NEW.
SO WE WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE THE OVERVIEW AT THE BEGINNING OF WHAT HAPPENED WHEN WE DID THE ENGAGEMENTS AND WHO WE ARE AND STUFF, [INAUDIBLE] AND THEN SUMMARIZE FOR YOU KIND OF WHAT CAME OUT OF ALL THE ENGAGEMENTS THAT HAPPENED SINCE WE LAST MET WITH THE CITY LAST YEAR.
SO WE MET WITH THE MAYOR'S TASK FORCE AND DID A WORKSHOP WITH THEM ON THESE TOPICS AROUND WHAT COMMUNITY CONCERNS WERE AROUND THE SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS OF DIAVIK'S CLOSURE IN THE NORTH, BUT MORE BROADLY, MINE CLOSURE IN THE NORTH.
SO AS TARA SAID, WE MET WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE OVER 90 PEOPLE, 12 DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
THIS IS SORT OF A WORD CLOUD THAT CAME OUT OF WHAT PEOPLE'S MAIN CONCERNS WERE AROUND MINE CLOSURE.
SO THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING SUPPORTED BY DIAVIK OR BY OTHER MINES, PRIMARILY WITH COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE PAYMENTS OR THE PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT PAYMENTS, BUT AGAIN, MORE BROADLY WITH THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE AS WELL THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION PROGRAM AND THE WORK THAT WE DO WITH THE AURORA COLLEGE.
SO THIS IS A VERY HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE MAIN IMPACTS THAT CAME OUT OF THE ENGAGEMENTS THAT SINCE WENT THROUGH A FINAL SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT WITH GOLDER AND WORKING WITH THE ECONOMIST WHO DOES MOST OF THE UPDATES FOR THE GNWT AS WELL.
SO THAT'S LOSS OF EMPLOYMENT, LOSS OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES, LOSS OF BUSINESS CONTRACTS AND OPPORTUNITIES AND AGAIN, THE END OF PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT PAYMENTS OR OTHER SOURCES OF COMMUNITY FUNDING.
SO THE PRIMARY IMPACTS THAT PEOPLE IDENTIFIED OBVIOUSLY WERE ON FAMILIES, ON LOCAL ECONOMIES.
THE RISK OF OUTMIGRATION, PRIMARILY FROM THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE, IS THE HIGHEST CONCERN.
THE MAJORITY OF OF OUR NORTHERN EMPLOYEES DO LIVE IN THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE.
SO AS OF LAST YEAR, WE HAD 370 EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACTORS LIVING IN YELLOWKNIFE.
FOR BUSINESS CONTRACTS AND OPPORTUNITIES, YOU SAW THE NUMBERS.
SO WITH THE LOSS OF THAT FUNDING, THERE WILL BE IMPACTS ON SECONDARY AND TERTIARY INDUSTRIES AS WELL, MANY OF WHICH ARE CENTERED IN THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE AND THEN WITH THE END OF THE PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT PAYMENTS, THOSE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING WITH THE COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP RIGHT NOW IS TRYING TO ESTABLISH SOME KIND OF TRANSITION PLAN SO THAT THERE ISN'T A HUGE GAP WHEN OUR PAYMENTS END IN TERMS OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY MIGHT BE RELYING ON TO SUPPORT SOME OF THEIR MORE CRITICAL PROGRAMMING. SO THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES ARE TO TRY TO GIVE FOLKS AN IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE PUTTING ON THE TABLE IN TERMS OF MITIGATIONS TO TRY TO OFFSET SOME OF THE DIRECT IMPACTS THAT WE CAN CONTROL IN TERMS OF THE SOCIOECONOMIC EFFECTS OF OUR MINE CLOSURE, AND REALLY THE ASK AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION TO KIND OF KEEP IN THE BACKS OF YOUR MINDS AS COUNSEL, I THINK IS WHAT THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE
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IS MAYBE ALREADY DOING IN THIS SPACE OR CAN BE DOING IN THIS SPACE, AND WHERE WE CAN PARTNER WITH THE CITY AND HELPING PREPARE OR EXTEND SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS TO THE CITY TO PREPARE FOR MINE CLOSURE.SO THE FIRST ONE IS THE MY PATH PROGRAM, WHICH IS PROBABLY OUR BIGGEST MITIGATION.
THIS IS ESSENTIALLY AN EMPLOYEE RETRAINING PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES SEVERANCE AND RETENTION PAYMENTS TO OUR EMPLOYEES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT STEPPING STONE AND PLANS IN PLACE TO TRANSITION OUT OF THEIR EMPLOYMENT WITH DIAVIK INTO ANOTHER ROLE OR ANOTHER JOB, AND THE GOAL FOR THE NORTHERN EMPLOYEES IS TO TRY TO KEEP THEM IN THE NORTH WHERE WE CAN.
SO IT'S WORKING WITH OTHER MINES, WITH OTHER WITH GOVERNMENT TO TRY TO HELP PEOPLE TRANSITION.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO CONTINUING OUR SITE BASED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM UNTIL 2026.
AFTER THAT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR APPRENTICESHIPS ON ON SITE, BUT WE ARE WORKING OR LOOKING TO WORK WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES OR INSTITUTIONS TO SEE IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE COULD SUPPORT THE CONTINUATION OF AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM IN OTHER PLACES, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY ANYONE WHO'S IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR APPRENTICESHIP IN 2026 WILL HELP THEM TRANSITION SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY CAN COMPLETE THEIR APPRENTICESHIP.
UM, WE ARE A BIG SUPPORTER OF THE MIND TRAINING SOCIETY.
WE HELP THEM WITH FUNDING AND SO WE'RE LOOKING TO WORK WITH THEM TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THE ELEMENTS FROM THE MY PATH PROGRAM IN TERMS OF KEEPING THE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE NORTH, AND THE SAME GOES WITH AURORA COLLEGE.
THIS IS PROBABLY LIKE ONE OF THE BIGGEST ONES FOR THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE.
WE DO HAVE A COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION FUND.
THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT'S BEEN CLOSE TO HALF $1 MILLION A YEAR THAT WE'RE INVESTING IN INTO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND A LOT OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE IN YELLOWKNIFE. SO AS WE MOVE TO CLOSURE AGAIN, SAME IS WITH THE PA COMMUNITIES WE ARE LOOKING TO MEET WITH THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT RECEIVE FUNDING FROM US TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S SOME TRANSITION PLANS IN PLACE THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY WHERE THERE MIGHT NEED TO BE, SOME BRIDGE FUNDING TO MAKE SURE THAT NO CRITICAL PROGRAMING IS LOST WHEN WE CLOSE. SO NOT TURNING OFF THE TAPS ON THE MONEY IN 2026, BUT MAKING SURE THERE'S SOMETHING IN PLACE TO KIND OF BRIDGE PEOPLE AND PROGRAMING THROUGH OUR CLOSURE PHASE. SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW THAT OUR CLOSURE PHASE, WE DIDN'T REALLY TOUCH ON THIS YET, BUT JUST TO HAVE IN YOUR MINDS, OUR CLOSURE PHASE WILL BE VERY SHORT.
BASICALLY, MOST OF THE EARTHWORKS FOR CLOSURE HAS BEEN COMPLETED ALREADY ON SITE.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR CLOSURE PHASE, IT'S A VERY SHORT PHASE.
FOR THIS ONE, TOO BAD RYAN'S NOT HERE TODAY.
IT'S MOSTLY HIS RELATED TO RYAN, BUT THIS IS TK WATCHING PROGRAM.
SO WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR PA GROUPS.
WE'VE HAD A TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE PANEL THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH FOR THE LAST 10 TO 12 YEARS, AND AS PART OF THAT, WE'LL BE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THOSE FOLKS AND WITH THE REGULATORS TO DEVELOP A TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE WATCHING PROGRAM.
SO IT'S BASICALLY ENSURING THAT ALL OF THE MONITORING THAT HAPPENS ON SITE AFTER CLOSURE IS BEING DONE, NOT JUST FROM A SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVE, BUT ALSO WITH COMMUNITIES AND FROM THAT COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE.
FRAME LAKE, SO I THINK EVERYONE HERE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
WE ARE INSTALLING AN AERATOR IN FRAME LAKE AS PART OF OUR FISH HABITAT OFFSET PROGRAM AT DIAVIK.
SO THIS HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS WITH DFO, SO DFO AND SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS IDENTIFIED THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REHABILITATE FRAME LAKE AS OPPOSED TO REHABILITATING RANDOM FISH HABITAT LAC DE GRAS THAT NOBODY WILL USE.
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WE HAVE, I THINK, MOST OF OUR PERMITS IN PLACE NOW TO PUT AN AERATOR IN FRAME LAKE.SO THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH GETTING THE APPROVALS UNDER THE CSA TO INSTALL THE AERATOR AND ARE HOPEFUL THAT IT WILL HAPPEN SOMETIME LATER THIS SUMMER OR EARLY SEPTEMBER.
SO BASICALLY THE AERATOR WILL PROVIDE OXYGEN INTO FRAME LAKE OVER THE COURSE OF THE WINTER SO THERE'S NOT A DIE OFF AS THERE NORMALLY IS EVERY YEAR WITH THE IDEA THAT WE COULD BRING FISH POPULATIONS BACK INTO FRAME LAKE AND KIND OF CLEAN UP THE WAY THE LAKE LOOKS IN TERMS OF THERE BEING MORE OXYGEN IN THE WATER AND LESS VEGETATION. HOPEFULLY NO MORE LEECHES, THAT KIND OF THING.
I THINK A BIG AREA THAT WE SEE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOR FOR US TO WORK WITH PARTNERS LIKE THE GNWT OR THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE IS WITHIN THE SPACE OF REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S NOT NORMALLY A SPACE THAT WE'VE HELD I WOULD SAY APART FROM THE KINDS OF BUSINESS CONTRACTS THAT WE'VE PROMOTED OR SUPPORTED IN THE NORTH, BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT WITH THE CLOSURE OF THE THREE MAIN DIAMOND MINES WITHIN A TEN YEAR PERIOD IN THE NORTH, THAT IS GOING TO BE A HUGE IMPACT ON NORTHERNERS, ON THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE, AND THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME COLLABORATIVE THINKING THAT GOES INTO WHAT THAT TRANSITION LOOKS LIKE, THAT I THINK EVERYBODY HAS A ROLE TO PLAY BETWEEN ALL THOSE PARTIES.
SO, WE ARE LOOKING AT RETAINING A HIRING SOMEBODY WITH THIS EXPERTISE ONTO OUR TEAM TO HELP WORK WITH COMMUNITIES, GOVERNMENTS ON IMPLEMENTING WHAT THAT CAN LOOK LIKE.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF EXISTING PROGRAMING IN PLACE, SO A LOT OF IT WILL JUST BE UNDERSTANDING WHAT ALREADY EXISTS AND WHAT WE CAN SUPPORT AND HOW WE CAN MAKE SOME CONNECTIONS IN THOSE SPACES.
WE ALSO ARE LOOKING AT REPURPOSING A LOT OF OUR ASSETS ON SITE.
SO WE WILL BE DOING ANNUAL SITE TOURS EVERY YEAR.
SO THEY DIDN'T COME, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO PUT THAT INVITE OUT THERE.
OUR GOAL OBVIOUSLY IS TO KEEP ANYTHING THAT'S USEFUL IN THE NORTH BECAUSE IT'S SO LIKE ENERGY AND LABOR INTENSIVE TO GET STUFF ONTO SITE, AND THEN SOME OF YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THE REIMAGINING CLOSURE INITIATIVE, WHICH WAS ABOUT LOOKING AT HOW THE ACTUAL SITE COULD BE REPURPOSED POTENTIALLY IN THE FUTURE.
WE ENDED UP HELPING SPONSOR, I GUESS, A FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THAT AND THAT WILL BE DONE IN APRIL.
SO LIKE I SAID, WE ARE OPEN AND HOPING TO WORK WITH THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE ON WHAT SOME OF THE NEXT STEPS COULD BE ON ON IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THESE MITIGATION STRATEGIES, UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE CITY'S PRIORITIES ARE IN TERMS OF REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
MAYBE IT'S PUTTING A RENTAL SHACK ON FRAME LAKE.
WHO KNOWS? YOU KNOW, THERE'S THINGS WE CAN BUILD ON THAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING.
I THINK THAT COULD HELP IMPROVE ON WHATEVER THE WORK IS THAT'S ALREADY GOING ON IN SOME OF THESE SPACES, AND WE'RE ALSO COMMITTED TO PROVIDING REGULAR UPDATES.
SO WE'RE HERE TODAY, JUST BY WAY OF GIVING AN UPDATE ON THE WORK THAT STARTED LAST YEAR, BUT ARE TOTALLY OPEN TO ANY OTHER FORUMS THAT THE CITY RECOMMENDS IN TERMS OF WHO WE SHOULD BE WORKING WITH, WHERE WE CAN BE GIVING UPDATES, THAT KIND OF THING.
OPENING IT UP TO QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR PRESENTATION.
A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. THOSE SITE TOURS, WHO ARE THEY OPEN TO? WHO CAN GO ON THEM? WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR? AMANDA, YOU JUST HAVE TO PUSH YOUR BUTTON.
THANK YOU. SO WE SENT INVITES OUT LAST YEAR TO BASICALLY MAIN COMMUNITIES THAT WE WORK WITH AND THEN MAIN CONTRACTORS THAT WE WORK WITH, LIKE NORTHERN CONTRACTORS, DEMOLITION COMPANIES.
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I THINK THE CHAMBER GOT AN INVITE, THE CITY GOT AN INVITE.THEY CURRENTLY HAVE A LOT OF BUILDINGS IN TOWN, SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THEY COULD MAYBE USE.
FOR THE REIMAGINING CLOSURE, YOU SAID IT'D BE DONE IN APRIL, WHEN IS THAT GOING TO BE PUBLIC? SOON OR? YEAH. YEAH.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST A FEASIBILITY REPORT ON THE SITE, SO I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT WILL BE MADE PUBLIC.
THERE SHOULDN'T BE A WHOLE BUNCH HOLDING IT BACK.
LAST QUESTION WAS, AT THAT WORKSHOP, THE IMPACT WAS ON CITY POPULATION WAS DISCUSSED.
IS THAT GOING TO GET UPDATED KIND OF ANNUALLY OR IS IT GOING TO PLAN TO KEEP ON TOP OF THAT AS IT CHANGES, IF IT DOES? SO WE REPORT ON HOW MANY PEOPLE COME FROM WHICH COMMUNITIES EVERY YEAR ANNUALLY IN OUR PUBLIC SOCIOECONOMIC MONITORING REPORT.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE NUMBER FOR THIS YEAR CAME FROM, THAT 370.
SO YEAH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO REPORT ON THAT NUMBER.
PERFECT, AND IF YOU'RE HAPPY TO STAND, YOU CAN DO THAT.
I'M FINE. YOU'RE FINE. COUNCILLOR COCHRANE.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION HERE TODAY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK RIO TINTO FOR THE MANY YEARS OF SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT YOU'VE PROVIDED FOR THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE AND FOR THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES IN GENERAL.
THE CONVERSATION SHIFTED FROM WHAT WILL WE DO TO WHAT WILL WE ACHIEVE.
SO NOW ON TO THE MATTER OF YOU GUYS' CLOSURE THOUGH, FOR A PARTICULAR ONE PARTICULAR QUESTION I HAVE IS HOW LONG ARE YOU PLANNING FOR THE LIFESPAN OF THE MY PATH PROGRAM TO BE IN EXISTENCE? SO THE GOAL SO I SHOULD HAVE CLARIFIED MY PATH IS A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM.
SO EMPLOYEE ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SELF-ELECT INTO THE PROGRAM, NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER TWO, IT WILL BE COHORT BASED.
SO OBVIOUSLY NOT ALL OF THE LAYOFFS WILL HAPPEN IN 2026.
SO I THINK THE FIRST COHORT IS KICKING OFF BASICALLY NOW KIND OF A PILOT AND THEN THE IDEA IS THAT AS GROUPS OF EMPLOYEES ARE IDENTIFIED WHO WILL HAVE A CERTAIN LAYOFF DATE, THOSE PEOPLE WILL BE PRIORITIZED THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND THEN THEN THAT WILL HAPPEN SEQUENTIALLY.
BASICALLY UP UNTIL WHEN WE ARE NO LONGER HAVING EMPLOYEES ON SITE.
SO IT'LL PHASE OUT, BUT LIKE THE BENEFITS WILL LAST TO THE VERY LAST EMPLOYEE WHO WANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROGRAM. YEAH, THANK YOU.
HOW LONG ARE YOU INTENDING TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OF THAT ORGANIZATION? SO I THINK WE'VE COMMITTED TO STAYING ON THEIR BOARD UNTIL WE'RE BASICALLY DONE CLOSURE.
SO THAT WOULD BE LIKELY UNTIL 2029.
MTS MOSTLY EXISTS WITH FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NOW.
THE MINES HAVE AUGMENTED SOME OF THAT FUNDING IN YEARS WHERE THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO GET THEIR FUNDING CYCLES APPROVED IN TIME FOR THEIR ANNUAL BUDGETS, MOSTLY BECAUSE OF COVID. YEAH.
PERFECT, THANK YOU SO MUCH. NO MORE QUESTIONS FROM ME.
THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM MAYOR.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
IS THERE ANY CHANCE OF MATERIALS AT DIAVIK BEING APPLICABLE TO THE SUBMARINE WATERLINE PROJECT? HAS THAT BEEN DISCUSSED WITH THE CITY OR IS THAT JUST HOPE THAT ISN'T REALISTIC? NO IDEA. [CHUCKLING] LIKE YOU MEAN THE WATERLINES TO OLD TOWN? NO, LIKE THE UPCOMING SUBMARINE WATERLINE REPLACEMENT TO THE YELLOWKNIFE RIVER.
OR HAS THERE BEEN ANY CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN THE CITY AND RIO TINTO OR DIAVIK? THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY CONVERSATIONS THAT I KNOW OF.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE NOT OPEN TO CONVERSATIONS.
THERE COULD DEFINITELY POTENTIALLY BE SPOOLS OF THINGS ON SITE THAT COULD BE USEFUL.
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I AM DEFINITELY NOT THE PERSON WHO WOULD KNOW THAT, BUT I CAN GET THAT QUESTION ANSWERED.RIGHT ON, AND WHAT ABOUT THE PLAN FOR THE WIND TURBINES? ARE THOSE GOING TO STAY ON SITE FOR MAINTENANCE? YEAH, EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT THE WIND TURBINES, WHICH TOTALLY MAKES SENSE.
THEY ARE CLOSE TO 15 YEARS OLD NOW.
THEY WILL BE VERY CLOSE TO THE END OF THEIR LIFE.
YEAH, AND THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE ON THAT HAS BASICALLY INDICATED THAT THERE IS BETTER, CHEAPER OPTIONS AVAILABLE NOW THAN WHAT THEY ARE.
SO THEY WILL POTENTIALLY STAY THERE UNTIL THEY ARE NO LONGER USEFUL AND THEN THEY'LL BE.
YEAH, RIGHT ON. YEAH, THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE, AND WHAT'S SORT OF THE TIMELINE FOR THE FRAME LAKE PROJECT AND SORT OF SEEING SOME CHANGES LIKE FISH ACTUALLY IN THE LAKE. TWO YEARS.
WE CAN ALSO CIRCULATE THE PRESENTATION THAT THEY GAVE ON THIS INITIALLY SO COUNCIL CAN SEE.
YEAH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT, AND OF THE SO 517 NORTHERNERS 370 LIVE IN YELLOWKNIFE.
ANY ESTIMATES OR PROJECTION AS TO HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL STAY IN TOWN AND HOW MANY WILL LEAVE? YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
SO OBVIOUSLY, ONE OF THE BIG FACTORS WOULD BE WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE OWN PROPERTY, BUT WHEN THE ECONOMISTS DID THE MODELING, THOSE ARE DECISIONS THAT ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO CONSIDER IN ECONOMIC FORECASTING BECAUSE IT ALL RELIES ON DECISIONS ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF DATA FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL TO BE ABLE TO FORECAST WHAT THE POTENTIAL DECISIONS COULD BE. SO REALLY IT WHEN WE LOOK AT IT FROM LESS OF THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL AND MORE OF THE FORECASTING LEVEL IN TERMS OF OUTMIGRATION FROM THE NWT AS A WHOLE, THE BIGGEST DETERMINANT WAS OBVIOUSLY THE AVAILABILITY OF OTHER JOBS COMING ONLINE WITHIN THE NORTH THAT PEOPLE COULD TRANSITION TO IN ORDER TO STAY HERE.
SO THE BIGGEST FACTORS THAT THE ECONOMISTS LOOKED AT WAS WHEN THE OTHER DIAMOND MINES WERE RAMPING DOWN AND WHETHER OR NOT EKATI WOULD CONTINUE WITH THE PROJECT BECAUSE IT WAS ANTICIPATED THAT IF EKATI CONTINUED WITH THE PROJECT, THAT COULD OFFSET A LOT OF THE EMPLOYMENT LOSS FROM DIAVIK, BUT NOW WE KNOW THAT EKATI IS NOT GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THE PROJECTS, AND POINT LAKE WASN'T A DISCUSSION THEN, IT WASN'T FACTORED INTO THOSE CALCULATIONS.
SO LIKELY IT WILL BE SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE.
IT'S NOT AS BAD AS [INAUDIBLE], BUT IT'S NOT AS GOOD AS [INAUDIBLE].
SO YEAH, IT'S JUST TOUGH TO KNOW.
YEAH. YEAH, VERY UNDERSTANDABLE.
I THINK MOVING FORWARD IN FUTURE UPDATES AS SORT OF THOSE COHORTS START NOW THROUGH MY PATH, GETTING SOME SORT OF IDEA OF PERCENTAGES OF WHO SEEMS TO BE STAYING OR WHAT PERCENTAGE AND WHAT PERCENTAGE SEEMS TO BE LEAVING WOULD BE AWESOME.
HOW DOES DIAVIK FORESEE THE CITY BEING INVOLVED WITH THAT MY PATH PROGRAM AND HAVE THERE BEEN DISCUSSIONS? I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD SOMETHING.
OH, BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD THE GNWT DOES THE MINE SURVEY, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A REALLY GOOD DATA POINT IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING THE DECISION MAKING MATRIXES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK IN THE MINING INDUSTRY BECAUSE THAT SURVEY IS YOU SELF-ELECT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SURVEY, BUT IT'S ALL MINE EMPLOYEES AND IT DOES INDICATE LIKE PEOPLE HAVE TO INDICATE IF THEY OWN PROPERTY, WHAT'S LIKELY TO MAKE THEM STAY IN THE NORTH? WHAT WOULD LIKE THEM LIKELY MAKE THEM MOVE.
INFLATION CAME UP A LOT LAST TIME.
SO THAT'S A GOOD THING IN TERMS OF MORE INFORMATION.
IN TERMS OF THE CITY'S INTERACTION WITH MY PATH, I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD ANY DIRECT DISCUSSIONS WITH THAT, BUT IT'S REALLY KIND OF A BIT MORE OF A QUESTION FOR THE CITY IN TERMS OF HOW WOULD THE CITY SEE THEMSELVES ABLE TO SUPPORT SOME OF THAT WORK.
RIGHT ON, AND DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW WHICH OR WHAT WOULD BE SOME COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU CURRENTLY FUND IN YELLOWKNIFE THAT WOULD NEED SORT OF SOME TRANSITION OR SOME SORT OF FUTURE? FOLK ON THE ROCKS.
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[INAUDIBLE]. TARA, DO YOU WANT TO JUST SPEAK INTO THE MIC? YEAH, WE MIGHT DO THIS AS A TEAM EFFORT.WE HAVE HAD A CONTRIBUTION AGREEMENT FOR SPONSORING THE FIELD HOUSE FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
LONG JOHN JAMBOREE OR YES SNOW CASTLE.
NWT ON THE LAND COLLABORATIVE, LITERACY COUNCIL.
DIFFERENT PROGRAMMING THROUGH OUR COLLEGE.
I MEAN, THIS IS A PRETTY EXTENSIVE LIST AND IT IS AVAILABLE.
IT'S AVAILABLE ANNUALLY IN OUR ANNUAL REPORT.
YEAH. AWESOME. THANKS FOR THAT INFO, AND ONE LAST ONE.
HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION BETWEEN GNWT AND DIAVIK ABOUT SPONSORSHIP FOR A 2026 ARCTIC WINTER GAMES? WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY REQUESTS YET.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTERS? COUNCILLOR MCGURK. YEAH, HELLO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I JUST HAVE AND APOLOGIES IF THIS IS IN THE PRESENTATION ON THE FRAME LAKE PROJECT, BUT I GUESS GIVEN THAT THE BUBBLER, WAS IT BUBBLER AERATOR, YOU KNOW, SO BUBBLER IS FOR A SHIP MOTOR, BUT GIVEN THAT THE AERATOR IS NOT CSA APPROVED, IT PROBABLY HAS TO GO THROUGH LIKE A WHOLE INSPECTION PROCESS WITH AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER.
YADA YADA. IT'S A SYSTEM THAT IS THEN POTENTIALLY NOT VERY FAMILIAR TO MANY NORTHERNERS, AND SO I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE OF THAT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
SO IT HAS BEEN IN THE PROCESS FOR LIKE THE LAST YEAR.
WE'RE NOT LIKE STARTING ON THE CSAS NOW.
I WOULD LIKE TO THINK WE'RE AT THE END OF THAT APPROVALS PROCESS TOWARDS THE END OF THAT.
IN TERMS OF MAINTENANCE, WE'LL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
I THINK THE IDEA IS THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE QUITE SELF-SUFFICIENT.
IT IS GERMAN MADE [CHUCKLING] BUT YEAH, WE'LL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP IN TERMS OF LIKE WHAT THE MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS ARE, BUT I'M I'M CONFIDENT THAT HAS BEEN CONSIDERED AS WELL.
YEAH, AND I GUESS IN TERMS OF CONTINUING MAINTENANCE ON IT AND WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT? WOULD THAT BE RIO TINTO'S RESPONSIBILITY INTO PERPETUITY, I IMAGINE, BECAUSE THIS CAN'T TURN OFF RIGHT? YEAH. SO YEAH, AND THAT'S ANOTHER THING WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON, BUT IT'S LIKE AT SOME, YOU KNOW, THE HOPE IS THAT IT'S LIKE A PARTNERSHIP PROJECT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO LIKE OFFLOAD AN AERATOR ON ANYONE WHEN WE'VE INSTALLED IT.
OKAY, THAT'S EVERYTHING FOR ME. THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MYSELF IF JUST LOOKING AT LAST YEAR'S PRESENTATION, IF YOU HAVE AN UPDATED CLOSURE RECLAMATION TIMELINE, THAT'D BE GREAT.
AS WELL AS ANY CHARTS THAT KIND OF SHOW THE NUMBER OF FTES PER YEAR AND THE DECREASE AS YOU GO FORWARD, AND WE ARE DOING A BIT OF THE MACRO LOOK OF GIANTS COMING ONLINE REQUIRING THIS MANY FTES AND THIS PROJECT AND THAT PROJECT.
SO AND THEN IN REGARDS TO YOUR QUESTIONS HERE ON THE SLIDE ABOUT NEXT STEPS, WE'LL BE SURE TO CONNECT YOU WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM AND BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT MORE INFORMAL OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE ON THINGS THAT YOU CAN WORK TOGETHER.
SO WE'LL DO THAT AFTER THE MEETING.
ANYTHING FURTHER? SEEING NONE.
THANKS AGAIN FOR COMING AND PRESENTING TODAY, AND WE WILL YEAH STAY TUNED FOR SOME OF THOSE.
THEY MIGHT BE IN THE ROOM, BUT THERE'S OTHERS FOR SURE TOO.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
WITH THAT, THAT'S THE END OF OUR AGENDA.
IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
MOVED BY DEPUTY MAYOR ARDEN-SMITH SECONDED BY COUNCILOR HENDRICKSEN.
[00:35:04]
ANYBODY OPPOSED? SEEING NONE. WE'LL SEE EVERYBODY BACK HERE AT 7 P.M..