6 March 2021
Message from Brian Penney, Baffinland CEO
You may be aware that on Friday, March 5, the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) issued a statement announcing that they do not support our Phase 2 expansion proposal. This is obviously a disappointing development, however, the QIA has also indicated they are open to discussions and we welcome the opportunity to find ways to move forward together.
We have worked very hard over many years with the QIA and others to develop an approach to advancing Mary River that addresses concerns, provides strict environmental standards, and delivers benefits to the community. In fact, the company and the QIA have made good progress on a series of commitments with regard to a number of environmental, cultural, and economic matters related to the current operation as well as those outlined by the Phase 2 Project Proposal.
Partnership and collaboration between Inuit and Baffinland are critical to our mutual success. We remain actively engaged with community members and various representative organizations and look forward to engaging further to reach mutually agreeable solutions.
Brian Penney, President and CEO