080121-08MN006-Sabina Hackett River Project Proposal ... - NIRB

Identification of Potential EnvironmentalEffects and Proposed Mitigation• Employment and income opportunities: creation of direct, indirect and inducedemployment, associated income-generating, and spending, opportunities, transition to awage economy, changes to cost of living and tax revenue generation.• Training and skills: creation of training, skills development and work experienceopportunities to meet Project and spin-off requirements and improved self-esteem.• Economic and business development: contractor and business opportunities throughProject procurement procedures, territorial and regional economic diversification,competition with other sectors e.g., tourism and tax revenue generation.• Community health and well-being: changes to quality of life and health due to increasedaccess to goods and services, changed spending habits and work schedules, changingroles and social networks in communities, changes to traditional activities and diet andcontamination of traditional foods.• Community infrastructure: pressure on community infrastructure due to changingpopulation demands, loss of community workers to project and increased access tocommunities.• Cultural stability and sustainability: cultural and language dilution, change in traditionalactivities, practices and diet and demographic changes (in and out migration, gender andcultural balance changes).The Hackett River Project proposes to employ between 225 and 350 persons during constructionand operations. Upon closure, the same number of jobs will be lost. The project will thereforegenerate a significant number of direct, indirect and induced jobs for northern residents. Incomegeneration will result from employment opportunities, benefitting individuals, families andhouseholds, communities, the Kitikmeot region and Nunavut through wages and benefits,spending and tax payments. Spending habits have the potential to be affected in both positive(e.g., increased access to health services) and adverse ways (e.g., increased disposable incomefor drugs and alcohol) depending on individual spending decisions. The transition to a wageeconomy will also be compounded for some individuals and communities and result in a loss ofmore traditional activities and diet. As a result of growing wages amongst some communitymembers, the cost of living and community inequalities may be affected.Training and skills development will be provided through courses and on-the job opportunitiesdirectly with the project and indirectly with contractors and spin-off businesses. This willespecially be important to allow Sabina to meet northern employment targets during a time ofeconomic growth. Such opportunities, along with employment and income attractions, mayencourage early departure from school or movement away from communities.The procurement of goods and services will result in opportunities for business development. Inturn, this may result in greater economic diversification for the region and Nunavut. Theterritory will also benefit from tax revenues. Expanding economic development through mining,however, may also adversely impact other sectors such as tourism and traditional activities.January 2008 Hackett River Project – Project Proposal Sabina Silver CorporationReport Version B.1 7–37 Rescan Environmental Services Ltd. (Proj. #833-2)