Ontario Northern Development and Mines Minister Michael Gravelle speaks to a crowd gathered that Timmins Museum for the announcement of a new $1 million legacy fund being set up by Kidd Operations and the Trillium Foundation. The fund is meant to support non-profit organizations in Timmins after the Kidd mine closes in 2021. Behind the Minister are, from left, Mayor Steve Black, Trillium CEO Andrea Cohen-Barrack, and Kidd Operations general manager Tom Semadeni.

Kidd Mine, Minister Gravelle announce legacy fund

The Daily Press
By: Alan S. Hale,
5/4/2015

TIMMINS - Kidd Operations is looking to maintain its practice of supporting local non-profit organizations beyond the year 2021, when their mining operations in Timmins are set to come to an end.

On Monday, the mining company announced that it and the Ontario Trillium Foundation will spend $500,000 each over the next six years to create a $1-million “legacy” endowment fund. After the mine is closed, the fund will be managed by the foundation and will be distributed as grants by a volunteer board.

According to Kidd Operations’ general manager, Tom Semadeni, the deal to create the new fund with the government-run foundation was two years in the making.

“We realized that Kidd has had a very significant involvement in the community, and we’re aware that when we leave there will be a potential void. So we want to provide a lasting legacy, where we could still provide support to the community,” said Semadeni. “We worked together with the Trillium Foundation on what would be a reasonable sized endowment that could be managed going forward. We think it’s a very significant amount of money, and we know it will help the community going forward.”

Just how long the $1 million fund will last will be up largely to the volunteer board that will control when and where the money is spent. Although some endowment funds are meant to be kept going in perpetuity by investing them and only have the interest given out as grants, Trillium Foundation CEO Andrea Cohen-Barrack said this will not be that kind of endowment fund.

At some point, she said, the fund will run dry, but that’s okay.

“The challenge that we have is that it will be up to the volunteers to choose the projects that they think will make a difference in Timmins, and if all those projects come in Year 1, it’s possible, but not likely, that the money could be used up sooner rather than later,” said Cohen-Barrack. “One thing that both Kidd and the foundation find important is that we are investing in the right things for the Timmins community, which is more important than making sure the fund lasts a certain number of years.”

Semadeni said Kidd Operations would like to see the money spent on projects that have the potential to build the capacity of Timmins’ non-profit sector to tackle important issues in the community.

“We’ve always been big on capacity-building. We don’t want just to provide donations or philanthropy. It’s about building capacity in organizations that are growing and meeting a community need.”

Both Timmins Mayor Steve Black and the Minister of Northern Development and Mines Michael Gravelle were at the announcement on Monday.

Black said that the creation of the fund will help alleviate some of the economic and social uncertainty surrounding the closure of the mine.

“This is great news for Timmins,” said Black. “Over the past five months, we’ve had lots of talk about preparing ourselves for 2021 and how we take those steps. It’s not just the City of Timmins who needs to prepare; it’s also our business community, our non-profit community, and everyone in between. This $1 million is really going to stabilize the non-profit community so they can continue to do the great things they do in our community.”

Minister Gravelle praised Kidd Operations for what he saw as an excellent demonstration of corporate citizenship.

“It's very positive that the company is thinking ahead on how they can continue to contribute to future of the community when indeed they are no longer here as part of the operation,” remarked Gravelle. “To see the Ontario Trillium Foundation begin this new concept with Kidd Operations is absolutely gratifying. It’s a truly significant contribution.”

Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Harvey Yesno is not happy with the federal government's response to infrastructure needs.

NAN grand chief slams feds for not meeting First Nations infrastructure needs


tbnewswatch
By: Leith Dunick
5/7/2015

Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Harvey Yesno is challenging the federal government’s commitment to meeting the infrastructure needs of First Nations.

Yesno’s complaints, which he issued late Wednesday in a news release, came on the heels of Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt’s response to questions surrounding Shoal Lake No. 40 First Nation, which has lost its ferry service and has been on a boil-water advisory for the past 17 years.

Yesno said vague commitments to Canada-wide projects are not good enough.

Calling the situation in Shoal Lake dire, Yesno said too many NAN communities are facing similar drinking-water and substandard infrastructure issues, not to mention shortages of housing, police, fire health-care and education facilities.

“It is shameful that the minister is touting nearly decade-old funding commitments instead of making the necessary investments to improve the quality of life in our impoverished communities,” Yesno said in the release.

“If the minister was truly committed to the health and safety of First Nations we would see more action from this government.”

According to NAN-supplied statistics, as of Feb. 28 there were 139 drinking-water advisories in effect in 92 First Nation communities, 35 of which are in NAN communities.

Yesno said water is a basic human right and pointed to longstanding issues facing Chapleau Cree First Nation, where high levels of trihalomethanes in the water supply has been addressed to the federal government, with no solution on the horizon.

“While the minister is happy to quote numbers to appease the Opposition and the Canadian public, the sad reality in many of our communities tells a different story,” Yesno said.

In its report, called Levelling the Playing Field, the Mining Association of Canada found the capital costs for base metal mines are, on average, 2.5 times higher in the far north – such as the remote Ring of Fire deposit – than in the south.


Base metal mines 2.5 times more costly in far north: report

Northern Ontario Business
By: Jonathan Migneault
5/7/2015

It came as no surprise to the Mining Association of Canada (MAC) that it's more expensive to mine in the Far North than in the south, but thanks to a new report, the association has quantified that difference.

“In the case of base metals, or gold mines, the difference is really significant,” said Pierre Gratton, MAC president and CEO.

In its report, called Levelling the Playing Field, the association found the capital costs for base metal mines are, on average, 2.5 times higher in the Far North.

The capital costs for gold mines were around double in the north, and the capital costs for diamond mines were 15 to 20 per cent higher.

MAC defined the Far North as the territories, and northern and remote regions of the provinces, including the Ring of Fire deposit in northwestern Ontario.

Gratton said most mines in the north need to have very high grades, and to last for many years, to be viable investments.

But to meet growing demand for materials in emerging economies like China and India, Canada will need to step up to the plate, or the demand will be met by another country, Gratton said.

And the most potential for new mines in Canada, he said, lies in the Far North.

“We are seeing our industry go increasingly north,” Gratton said.

“Unless we change the current economic equation in the Far North, we're still going to go slowly, and only the highest quality and highest grade mines actually get built,” he added.

Part of that economic equation includes government investments in infrastructure, such as recent powerline extensions in British Columbia, and the Ontario government's promise to set aside $1 billion for infrastructure to the Ring of Fire.

“We would have liked to have seen it built a while ago, but we understand the issues there,” said Gratton, who delivered a similar message at an event in Sudbury last September.

In its report, the association recommended a number of tax incentives it believes would spur more mine development in remote regions.

“To support exploration, the group advocates for a new and enhanced federal Mineral Exploration Tax Credit (METC) for projects for these areas at 25 per cent versus the current 15 per cent, as well as financial incentives to make the costs of drilling for early-stage exploration projects more economically feasible,” the report said.

The association also called for a base 10 per cent tax credit for companies that operate in remote northern areas, in addition to either a 15 per cent investment tax credit for eligible infrastructure, or a pardonable 25 per cent conditionally repayable contribution for infrastructure investments.

“Maybe there's a way in which the tax system can try and recognize some of those infrastructure components you don't see in the south,” Gratton said.

Yes, Minister.

We're all so really really excited about you getting it right! You sure deserve a big pat on the back for working so hard. The Honourable Michael Gravelle, Ontario Minister of Northern Development and Mines, sits down for a little ‘4 in 4’

The federal Conservatives and Ontario provincial Liberals share a shameful record on this file.

The NAN first nations will not endorse Ring of Fire development until meaningful resolutions to these and other issues are underway. This means inclusion of First Nations and business proponents at the roundtable Ontario Development Corporation must supersede granting of any EA or infrastructure development decisions.

Aboriginal Affairs
Oral Questions

May 5th, 2015 / 3 p.m.

Green

Bruce Hyer Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON

Mr. Speaker, 126 first nation reserves have unsafe drinking water. In Scandinavia and Europe, zero communities have unsafe drinking water. One such reserve is Shoal Lake 40, in Thunder Bay—Rainy River, which has had to boil its water for 17 years.

The reserve wants to know, and the Council of Canadians wants to know. Why does Winnipeg get safe water from Shoal Lake while the first nations on that very same lake do not?

Aboriginal Affairs
Oral Questions

3 p.m.

Madawaska—Restigouche
New Brunswick

Conservative

Bernard Valcourt Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development

Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, our government continues to take action on first nations across Canada so that they have the same quality of drinking water as all other Canadians. That is why, since 2006, we have invested approximately $3 billion in first nations' water and waste water infrastructure and related public health activities. We have made targeted investments in more than 130 major projects and funded maintenance of over 1,200 waste water and water treatment projects.

As a matter of fact, in the economic action plan of 2014, we committed a further $320 million for two years.

NAN CHALLENGES FEDERAL COMMITMENT TO MEETING INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS OF FIRST NATIONS

THUNDER BAY (May 6, 2015): Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Harvey Yesno is challenging the Government of Canada’s commitment to meeting the infrastructure needs of First Nations despite claims made by Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt in the House of Commons yesterday.

NEWS RELEASE Wednesday May 6, 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NAN CHALLENGES FEDERAL COMMITMENT TO MEETING INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS OF FIRST NATIONS

THUNDER BAY: Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Harvey Yesno is challenging the Government of Canada’s commitment to meeting the infrastructure needs of First Nations despite claims made by Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt in the House of Commons yesterday.

When pressured by the Opposition over his government’s failure to assist with the a state of emergency in Shoal Lake No. 40 First Nation, which is cut off from the mainland without ferry service and has spent the last 17 years on a boil water advisory, the Minister made vague references to Canada-wide funding commitments his government has repeated for years instead of making a firm commitment to fixing the water and infrastructure needs of Shoal Lake and many First Nations.

“The dire situation in Shoal Lake is very much like that across much of NAN territory, where many First Nations have been on drinking water advisories for more than 10 years and nearly all communities are in need of new or upgraded water and wastewater systems and other critical infrastructure like housing, police, firefighting, health care and education facilities,” said Grand Chief Harvey Yesno. “It is shameful that the Minister is touting nearly decade-old funding commitments instead of making the necessary investments to improve the quality of life in our impoverished communities. If the Minister was truly committed to the health and safety of First Nations we would see more action from this government.”

According to Health Canada, as of February 28, 2015, there were 139 Drinking Water Advisories in effect in 92 First Nation communities. Thirty-five of these are in NAN First Nations with 15 affecting First Nations in the riding of Kenora MP Greg Rickford, who represents the largest number of First Nation communities in Canada.

A 2011 report by the Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation found that it would cost approximately $1.1 billion to meet the water and waste water needs in NAN’s 49 First Nations, by upgrading or replacing exiting facilities. Despite these needs the federal government responded by cutting technical services funding for First Nations and First Nation Councils in 2012.

A 2002 report by Health Canada indicated that the level of trihalomethanes, by-products of the chlorination process linked to cancer and serious health issues, were 59 per cent above the maximum acceptable level at the water treatment plant in Chapleau Cree First Nation.

The community’s concern over long-term exposure to this health threat has been directly addressed to Minister Valcourt, but there has yet to be a commitment from the federal government to address it.

“Water is a basic human right, and for years we have warned of a looming threat to the health and safety of our First Nations due to the outdated and insufficient water systems in many of our communities,” said Yesno. “And while the Minister is happy to quote numbers to appease the Opposition and the Canadian public, the sad reality in many of our communities tells a different story.”

NAN presented a cursory overview of water and wastewater systems in NAN First Nations to the Senate Standing Committee on Aboriginal Peoples in March 2011. The submission highlighted widespread concerns such as staffing and technical issues as well as illustrating common issues and service gaps.

Findings included:

• Nearly all 49 NAN communities have been subject to a boil water advisory in the past five years.


• Nearly every community’s water plant system is in need of replacement or repairs.


• Nearly all communities face a lack of funding for the hiring and training of


• qualified staff and the safe operation of water systems.