PDAC 2022: Northwest Territories leaders ask Ottawa to help with infrastructure to benefit mining

Mining
Wednesday, June 15th, 2022 12:02 pm EDT

Dominion Diamond Mines sale of Ekati falls through

The ice road to the Ekati and Diavik diamond mines in the Northwest Territories. Credit: Dominion Diamond.

In the Northwest Territories, infrastructure that lags behind southern Canada is limiting the potential of the territory’s mining development and increasing its costs as well, said leaders of the N.W.T. government at PDAC on June 14. 

Premier Caroline Cochrane and Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) Caroline Wawzonek told The Northern Miner in an interview that they want the federal government to step up and provide more support for the territory’s infrastructure needs. 

While mining has historically been the economic bedrock of the N.W.T. and currently accounts for 21% of its GDP, just over half of its 33 communities are connected to all-season roads. This reality affects economic and social development. 

Premier Caroline Cochrane and Industry, Tourism and Investment Minister Caroline Wawzonek, along with Indigenous leadership from the NWT and the city of Yellowknife met with industry leaders on June 14 on the PDAC trade show floor. Government of the Northwest Territories photo.

(Continue reading at The Northern Miner)

This post has been syndicated from a third-party source. View the original article here.

More From The Investor’s Edge