Canada’s Arctic is experiencing a boom in the mining industry that could continue for decades to come but inherent challenges in infrastructure and labour still cause difficulties and need to be addressed, say mining experts.
“The opportunity facing Canadian mining right now hasn’t been seen in generations. We probably haven’t seen anything like this since the post-war boom of the 1950s,” said Paul Hébert, vice-president of government relations with the Mining Association of Canada. “We’re talking about a large-scale demand curve.”
According to the Department of Natural Resources, Canada stands to gain approximately $8-billion of new mine development in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, and a total of $130-billion in the mining industry over the next five years.
There are 10 projects in Nunavut and six in the Northwest Territories that look like they could become mines in the next 10 years, said Tom Hoefer, executive director for the Northwest Territories and Nunavut Chamber of Mines.
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