For over 80 years, mining has been the key economic driver in the north.
The minerals industry has provided tremendous economic, employment, business and community development opportunities for northerners. More recently, the northern minerals industry has created significant business and economic opportunities for northern Aboriginal governments, corporations, organizations, communities and peoples.
The NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines has been the voice of the Northern mining and exploration industry since 1967. The overall goal of the Chamber is to promote the industry and the north to Northerners, Canadians and the world at large. The Chamber advises governments, regulatory agencies, investors, Aboriginal groups, the media, schools and universities, and the public on industry positions and initiatives. The Chamber’s primary objective is to encourage, assist and stimulate the prosperous, orderly and environmentally responsible development and growth of mining and mineral exploration in the NWT and Nunavut.
The years leading up to 1967 saw increasing attention directed towards government affairs in the Northwest Territories. As both the mining industry and government became aware of the need for a centre of contact, which could represent the views of the mining industry, a group of interested individuals applied for a Charter to form the Northwest Territories Chamber of Mines.
In February 1967 the original meeting was chaired by Charles Vaydik and attended by several of Yellowknife’s mining community. The Constitution and by-laws were signed by Charles Vaydik, R.W. Spence, F.A. McCall, Norman W. Byrne and Mark M. de Weerdt, and witnessed by Carol Repchuk and Elizabeth R. Byrne.
Shortly after division of the Northwest Territories created the new territory of Nunavut in April 1999, the organization’s Board of Directors and members voted to change the Chamber’s name to “The NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines” to further express its representation of the mineral industry in both Territories.
The Chamber of Mines worked closely with Board members in the winter of 2015-2016 to develop a Strategic Plan to guide its work for the following 5 years. The plan is based on 6 Pillars:
Download the plan here.