16 July 2015
Iqaluit, NU (July 16, 2015) The Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, the Honourable Bernard Valcourt has approved Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation’s (“BIMC”) application for an exemption under section 11.5.11 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.
In April, 2015, the Nunavut Planning Commission issued a negative conformity determination for a Phase 2 project proposal for the Mary River Iron Mine, located near Pond Inlet on Baffin Island in Nunavut. The Commission stated that the proposed icebreaking activity to allow winter shipping did not conform to the North Baffin Regional Land Use Plan. In May, BIMC applied to the Minister for an exemption from the land use plan. In a July 13, 2015 letter, Minister Valcourt granted the exemption and advised of his decision to “refer the company’s Mary River Phase 2 Proposal to the Nunavut Impact Review Board (“NIRB”) for a screening and subsequent reconsideration process”. The NIRB will now be responsible for completing environmental and socio-economic assessments of BIMC’s Phase 2 project proposal.