Mining and communities: Bettering the understanding of mining development impacts on indigenous and non-indigenous northern communities (FRQ-NT)

The Caribou Ungava Research Chair, the co-investigators associated with the projects and their partners have just completed a large, ambitious and complex interdisciplinary project. The main objective of this project was to fill some of the gaps in the impacts of mining development in northern communities. The specific objectives were to:

1) Understand how mining development can affect the social cohesion and well-being of mining communities in Northern Quebec;
2) Analyze the evolution of local employment in mines in Northern Quebec; and
3) Understand some of the impacts of mining development on the ecology of migratory caribou and berries and on the subsistence economy of Quebec's Aboriginal communities.
Qualitative and quantitative data analyses provided a better understanding of the impact of mining development on the social cohesion and well-being of mining communities in northern Quebec, on the evolution of employment in mines, on the ecology of migratory caribou and on the subsistence economy of Quebec Indigenous communities.
In response to the first objective, the researchers found, following individual interviews and focus groups in a Cree community and an Inuit village, that mining projects had divided the community between those that highlighted the potential positive employment benefits and those that mentioned social impacts and the lack of adequate compensation. The main concerns raised in the community concerned water quality and ecosystem health. Beyond these discussions, the researchers noted the importance of the cumulative social impacts (sedentarization, residential school, hydroelectric reservoirs) on social acceptability and the ability of communities to provide free, prior and informed consent. These factors can also affect deliberations within communities (ability to express concerns, social cohesion) and ultimately lead to a loss of trust in institutions and undermine dialogue.

With regard to the second objective concerning the evolution of local employment in mines in Northern Quebec and Labrador, the study shows that in Nunavik and Nunatsiavut communities located near mine sites do not benefit more from employment at the mine and that there is a significant increase in the proportion of Inuit employees living in major centres, a direct impact of the commuting system put in place in recent years that facilitates the offshoring of workers.  Also, the team found that employee integration and a sense of community are factors that contribute to increased workforce retention. These factors would be particularly important for Inuit workers, whose integration would be more difficult, as they are more subject to negative stereotypes than most other workers (Jourdren 2015).
Finally, our analysis better explains some of the impacts of mining development on the ecology of migratory caribou and on the subsistence economy of Quebec's Indigenous communities. For example, researchers have found that mining infrastructure has an impact on migratory caribou. Thus, the researchers measured the areas of influence of disturbances for certain infrastructures, i.e. areas where fewer caribou than expected were observed based on habitat quality. These zones of influence range from two to four kilometres for a community, but can extend up to 21 km for a mining exploration site and up to 23 km for an operating mine. Similarly, these infrastructures contribute to a cumulative loss of up to 14% of habitat. When we consider the presence of sport hunters on the territory, which increases the avoidance of disturbances by caribou, the cumulative loss of habitat can reach 35%. With regard to the subsistence economy, the group found that mining activities could alter the resources needed to carry out traditional activities, while providing financial support for these activities. Similarly, fly-in/fly-out schedules can facilitate the practice of traditional activities, but can affect the social networks that underlie the practice of these activities.
These results will allow partners to adapt their practices to mitigate the social and ecological impacts of mining development and ensure that it has positive economic and social benefits for northern communities. Several partner communities of the project already have results in hand. In addition, project results for sub-objective three will be shared with three federal departments. The project results will also be useful to the Makivik Corporation, the Kativik Regional Government, the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and mining companies in adopting measures that will mitigate the environmental and social impacts of mining development. These results are available in the form of an interactive map.

 
The project was funded by the Fonds de recherche québécois – Nature et technologie (FRQ-NT)

Julie Fortin, PhD candidate, Laval University

PhD candidate in public communication, Julie is interested in Cree and Inuit communities’ influence within the evaluation and authorization process surrounding mining projects in northern Quebec, as well as their capacity to offer a free, prior and informed consent. She holds a master degree in public communication from Laval University. Her master’s thesis focused on the communication between Hydro-Québec and the Innu communities in the context of La Romaine hydroelectric project and more specifically on the Innu’s concerns regarding consultations, negotiations and the project’s impacts.

 

Sabrina Plante, PhD candidate, Caribou Ungava, Laval University

Simple and cumulative impacts of human disturbance on habitat selection and survival of the migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus)

Many Rangifer populations are declining across boreal and arctic regions of North America and Europe. Human disturbance and climate change have been suggested as the main cause of this general decline. With the recent evaluation of a high mining potential, Northern Québec could be subject to a drastic increase of industrial activities in the next decades. Within this context, our project aims at evaluating the simple and cumulative impacts of human disturbance on the habitat selection and survival of migratory caribou of the Rivière aux Feuilles and Rivière George herds. 

Sabrina Bourgeois, PhD candidate, Laval University.

jcrop-previewSabrina Bourgeois is a PhD student in political science at Université Laval. Her main research interests are Aboriginal issues related to mining development, land use conflicts and governance. In particular, she conducted research with Aboriginal communities and organizations, environmental and citizen groups, as well as political decision-makers and their staff, to better understand the Government of Quebec's decision to introduce an administrative moratorium on uranium mining projects in 2013. Her thesis focuses on the relationship between the strategic positioning of Aboriginal communities and their influence on mining authorization processes. This is an original comparison between Quebec (Canada) and New Caledonia (France) that should lead to the emergence of new knowledge on the concepts of participation, consultation and consent.

Karen Bouchard, PhD candidate, Laval University

Karen Bouchard is a PhD candidate in political science under the supervision of Thierry Rodon. She assisted a research team in setting up a network on mine impacts. A graduate student of anthropology, Karen Bouchard is currently working on issues and challenges pertaining to water governance and security with indigenous communities of the Cordillera highlands located in the Northern Philippines. She previously participated in a qualitative research on the local impacts of mining in Palawan (Philippines) as part of the joint and multi-disciplinary project entitled REINVENTERRA administered by the East Asian Study Centre (CÉTASE) of the University of Montreal. Now conducting research on the implementation of the indigenous right to Free Prior and Informed Consent through a case study of the Baffinland nickel mining project in Mary River (Nunavut), she intends pursing her studies in political science with prof. Thierry Rodon on extractive mineral industries operating in selected Arctic regions. 

Nickoo Merati is a family medicine student at McGill University under the supervision of Jon Salsberg and Susan Law. She participated in data collection in Nemaska.
 
Thérèse Yéro Amadou is a doctoral student in community health at Université Laval. She was awarded a research contract to conduct a literature review on the impact of mining development on social cohesion and well-being in Cree communities.
 
Anna O'Driscoll and Ella Mayette are two undergraduate students. They were hired to finalize the writing of the literature review on social cohesion and well-being of northern communities affected by mining development.
 
Rémy Chhem is a doctoral student at the University of Ottawa. He worked as an assistant on a report entitled: Improving Inuit Participation in the Mining Industry in Nunavik: Employment, Training, and Cultural Issues.
 
Marine Jourdren was a French master's student. During her studies, she conducted an investigation into Inuit employment at the Raglan and Expo mines under the supervision of Thierry Rodon.  This investigation led to a Master 2 thesis that was successfully supported at the Institut de recherche en développement de Montpellier in October 2014. It has produced a report for its project partners.


 

  • An interactive map compiling infrastructure data, caribou ecological data and land use data was developed and launched in the fall of 2017.
  • A podcast was also produced and broadcast in the fall of 2017.
  • Workshops in Eeyou Istchee were held in the winter of 2018.
  • To mark the end of the project, a day of interdisciplinary exchanges on the North, in partnership with the INQ, was held on June 6, 2018.


The researchers also met with partners through the following activities:
 
1. BAPE Consultations
Rodon, T. 2014, Des mines et des communautés: les impacts socioéconomiques de la mine Raglan au Nunavik. Dans le cadre des consultations du BAPE sur la filière uranifère. Québec, 19 septembre 2014
 
Rodon, T. 2014. De l’acceptabilité sociale et du consentement : le développement des ressources sur les territoires ancestraux des autochtones. Dans le cadre des consultations du BAPE sur la filière uranifère. Québec, 23 septembre 2014.

2. Kuujjuaq Mining Workshop :
Rodon, T. 2014, Mining Development and Inuit Communities Well-Being. Kuujjuaq Mining Workshop, Kuujjuaq, Quebec. 1er mai 2014.
 
Rodon, T. 2015. Social acceptability and consent: the role of environmental assessments and Impact and Benefit Agreements. Kuujjuaq Mining Workshop. Kuujjuaq, Québec, 28 avril 2015.
 
3. Raglan Mine
In 2018, Mine Raglan organized its annual environmental forum in Salluit. Sabrina Plante presented her research, answering questions and participating in various discussions regarding, among other things, the integration of Inuit concerns into management measures and environmental monitoring programs.
 
4. Hydro-Québec
Richard, H., Hins, J. C. et S. D. Côté. 2017. Dynamique des populations et relations prédateur-proie du caribou migrateur au Québec-Labrador dans un contexte de changements climatiques et anthropiques. Rapport de recherche pour Hydro Québec Production 2017.
 
5. Makivik Corporation
Rodon, T., Chhem, R., Jourdren M., et H. des Pins. 2015. Improving Inuit Participation in the Mining Industry in Nunavik: Employment, Training, and Cultural Issues. Rapport soumis à Société Makivik.

Several communications were also made as part of this project, including the following:
 
1. Conference of the CircumArctic Rangifer Monitoring and Assessment Network
Plante S., Dussault C., Richard J. H. et Côté S. D. 2018. From the avoidance of human disturbances to cumulative habitat loss for migratory caribou in northern Québec and Labrador. 9th conference of the CircumArctic Rangifer Monitoring and Assessment Network (CARMA), Whitehorse, Yukon, 6-8 mars 2018.
 
2. Arctic Change
Plante, S. et Rodon, T. 2017. The relations between mining development, migratory caribou and indigenous economies in northern Quebec. ArcticChange Conference, Québec, Québec, 13 décembre 2017.

Plante, S. et Rodon, T. 2017. The relations between mining development, migratory caribou and indigenous economies in northern Quebec. ArcticChange Conference, SUD01 - II. Extractive Industries and Sustainable Livelihoods in the Arctic Session, Québec, Québec, 13 décembre 2017.

Fortin, J. 2017. Asymmetrical Power Relationships and Public Influence within Evaluation Processes of Mining Projects in Northern Quebec: what place for Free, Prior and Informed Consent? The case of Aupaluk, Conférence Arctic Change, Québec, Québec, 12 décembre 2017
 
3. International Medical Geography Symposium
Riva M. 2017. Health geography and population health intervention research: examples from the Canadian Arctic. Invited Closing Keynote. 17th International Medical Geography Symposium. Angers, France, juillet 2017.
 
4. Colloque de l’Institut Nordique du Québec, ACFAS
Côté, S. D. 2017. Caribou Ungava : un programme de recherche pour comprendre les interactions entre le caribou migrateur et ses prédateurs dans un contexte de changements climatiques. 85e Congrès de l’ACFAS, Colloque de l’Institut Nordique du Québec, McGill, QC, Canada.