Feasibility Study and Technical Report - Pretivm

20.1.6 SOCIAL SETTINGSOCIO-ECONOMIC SETTINGNorthwest BC is a sparsely populated and relatively undeveloped region of the province.Many of the smaller communities have predominantly Aboriginal populations that areisolated from one another as well as from the main regional centres of Smithers andTerrace. Approximately one-third of the 40,000 to 45,000 people in the region areAboriginal, which is a far higher proportion than for the province as a whole.Primary resource industries, principally mining and forestry, are the mainstay of theeconomy. The forest industry in particular has been in decline in recent decades, whichhas significantly weakened the economy and lead to a steady decline in the regionalpopulation. Since the mid-1990s, the regional population has dropped almost 15%although, in recent years, the rate of decline has begun to slow.Transportation and communication is limited; the region is intersected by Highway 37(north to south) and Highway 16 (east to west).Strong commodity prices and the global boom in mining have led to increased mineralexploration activity. The mining industry is widely expected to represent an increasinglyimportant source of investment and employment. Communities in the region areaccustomed to cycles of “boom and bust” associated with mining. Nevertheless,extractive industries and related energy projects are expected to continue to form thebasis of the regional economy.Community and socio-economic impacts of the Project can potentially be very favourablefor the region, as new long-term opportunities are created for local and regional workers.Such opportunities could reduce and possibly reverse the out-migration to larger centres.Pretivm will continue to work with Treaty Nation and First Nations groups and members oflocal communities to maximize benefits through employment and business opportunities,training, and skills development programs.Socio-economic baseline studies were carried out through much of 2012 and Q1 2013.The studies have covered a regional study area that encompasses the Regional District ofKitimat-Stikine including all communities from Terrace to the north as far as Dease Lake,and from the Town of Smithers in the east to the Port of Stewart in the west.The following sections on the Highway 16 and Highway 37 corridors are compiled fromthe Northwest BC Mining Projects Socioeconomic Impact Assessment, prepared in 2005for the Ministry of Small Business and Economic Development, and updated using datafrom the 2006 Census of Canada.Highway 16 CorridorHighway 16 extends from the Prince Rupert port eastwards to Terrace, Hazelton,Smithers, and Prince George. The Canadian National Railway also follows this corridor.Most of the communities along this corridor are discussed in this section. The HighwayPretium Resources Inc. 20-13 1291990200-REP-R0012-02Feasibility Study and Technical Report on the BrucejackProject, Stewart, BC