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Nunavummiut mine staff will return to work in stages, CPHO announces

Nunavut’s chief public health officer is allowing Nunavut-based workers to come back to Agnico Eagle’s operations in Kivalliq in stages, and the company will be reaching out to workers directly.
Trevor Wright
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Nunavummiut mine staff will be able to return to work at Meliadine’s Kivalliq mining operations in stages, the territory’s chief public health officer announced on June 14. A similar provision for Baffinland’s Mary River mine will wait until there’s greater certainty that the latest COVID outbreak at the site is completely over. photo courtesy of Agnico Eagle Mines

Nunavut’s chief public health officer is allowing Nunavut-based workers to come back to Agnico Eagle’s operations in Kivalliq in stages, and the company will be reaching out to workers directly.

While there are similar plans for the Mary River mine, they are waiting for the outbreak to be declared over at this time.

“We want Nunavummiut to get back to work at Baffinland, but that will happen when we’re certain it is safe and this (COVID-19) outbreak is over,” said Patterson.

Nunavummiut mining staff were sent home in March 2020 when the pandemic began to emerge as a threat in Nunavut. The decision was made to minimize the risk of spreading the virus to communities.

Those miners have been receiving 75 per cent of their base pay while awaiting a return to work.