Mining has been going on in Wabun Territory for over 100 years

Cont’d from pg. 72

First Nations for financial compensation for impacts, business opportunities, employment and training. As part of Wabun’s approach to accommodating mining ventures a committee of elders and knowledge holders provide support for various studies (archeological, peer review) if required, and a commitment to Impact Benefit Agreement (IBA) negotiations should a mine develop.

Impact Benefit Agreements Signed When Advances to Becoming Operational

Wabun Tribal Council has 11 IBAs in place. For Wabun, the latest fruit of their labour was the sod-turning event held in September to start construction of IAMGOLD’s Côté Lake project near Gogama, a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Doug Ford. The IBA, signed two years ago, will bring jobs and economic spinoffs to Mattagami and Flying Post First Nations. “Impact benefit agreements are agreements with the mining industry where our communities work directly with the industry on how the communities are going to participate fully in the mining operation,” Batise stated.

The industry must come back to the communities and talk about things like environmental sustainability, like jobs, employment and training, revenue sharing models. And those particular things are in all of our impact benefit agreements.

“We know there are going to be impacts, but how do we manage and mitigate those?” Batise pointed out.

“ It’s probably the most important piece to our communities.” While there are no binding government legislation that requires IBAs to be part of the mining development process, a series of Supreme Court of Canada decisions in favour of First Nations rights and title in 2000, 2001 and 2003 paved the way for IBAs to become part of the informal mining approval process.

How Earnings from IBAs Help Wabun First Nation Communities

The signing of IBAs with mining companies operating in the Wabun territory has earned Wabun First Nations substantial income totaling in the 10s of millions of dollars. “It’s difficult for me to expose publicly sort of what is privately protected in those agreements because they are confidential portions of the agreements between the mining companies,” acknowledged Batise “I would unashamedly say getting our communities wealthy is Ok, I’m OK with that.”

Batise explained that mining has been going on in the Wabun Territory for over 100 years with the Timmins and Kirkland Lake gold camps starting in 1908, but it has only recently been that the First Nations have been compensated and respected in this manner. The decision on how to spend the money from the IBA is made by the First Nation community near where the mine is located. It is spent on things like post secondary education funding, community infrastructure, housing, and health care needs.

For Batise and the Wabun chiefs it’s a way to become self-sustainable. Instead of living off government treaty revenues alone.

Strengths of Wabun Tribal Council’s Model

One of the strengths of the WTC mining approach is that it is organized, consistent, and result driven. The approach has been carefully crafted in order to provide certainty, clarity and consistency for the First Nations and for industry.

“Our success is attributed to our WTC mining policy that is consistent, streamlined and result-driven,” stated Batise. “The goal is to facilitate dialogue between First Nations and mining stakeholders to encourage meaningful relationships that deliver results to all parties.”

“To WTC and member First Nations, agreements are at the foundation of free, prior and informed consent,” explained Batise. Agreements must be signed between WTC and mining companies for activities to take place in their traditional territories.” In 2020, Wabun Tribal Council, based in Timmins, was named Entrepreneurial Community of the year by Northern Ontario Business Awards. The award was in recognition of their engagement with mining communities and the benefits that have followed to the member First Nations. Since launching in 1986, the Northern Ontario Business Awards has become the largest annual gathering of its kind in Northern Ontario. These awards serve to heighten the visibility and influence of business in the North and bring peer recognition to the business leaders who create prosperity and economic growth.