Three Case Studies: Increased Aboriginal Labour Participation in Resource Projects

This briefing aims to gain a better understanding of the role mining projects play in the livelihoods of Aboriginal people in northern communities. It examines three mining projects: Alloycorp’s Kitsault molybdenum mine, Stornoway Diamond’s Renard mine, and Baffinland’s Mary River iron mine. The projects were chosen in part because of their proximity to Aboriginal communities. We estimated the economic benefits of the three projects at the provincial/territorial level. To estimate the impacts for Aboriginal communities, we developed two employment scenarios. One reflects current Aboriginal participation rates in the province or territory in which the mine exists; the other assumes an increased Aboriginal participation rate. Our analysis shows that resource development can be an important catalyst to socio-economic development at the local community level where the projects occur. Beyond measuring the benefits of these resource projects, the economic impact analyses presented in this briefing can also provide a foundation for future research.