KGHM International and Atikameksheng Anishnawbek have signed an impact and benefit agreement (IBA) for the company’s upcoming Victoria Mine, outside Sudbury.
An announcement from the Polish-headquartered company said the IBA signing ceremony took place in the community on Sept. 6. Gimaa (Chief) Craig Nootchtai of Atikameksheng Anishnawbek and KGHM’s Marek Bednarz, KGHM International CEO, and Michal Jezioro, vice-president of Indigenous relations, were at the table.
The Victoria Mine Project site will be an underground copper and nickel mine, 35 kilometres west of Sudbury. The mine’s operating life is 14 years.
The 43,747-acre reservation lands of Atikameksheng Anishnawbek are 19 kilometres of the city, near the community of Lively.
The IBA will provide benefits to community members throughout the mining cycle. The details of these private agreements are usually kept confidential, but they include provisions of training and employment, spinoff business opportunities, environmental stewardship, and keeps the door open for ongoing participation and dialogue between the two parties.
Previously, a mine production closure plan was filed with the provincial energy and mines ministry in 2024. Technical input from Atikameksheng Anishnawbek was incorporated into the document.
A mine closure plan, required under the Mining Act, outlines how the mining company will manage and rehabilitate a mine site throughout its operating life and into its permanent closure. It involves addressing and removing any health and safety hazards, contains measures to safeguard the environment now and for the long term.
A joint statement provided by Nootchtai and Lorraine Naponse, CEO, Atikameksheng Anishnawbek, called the IBA signing a “historic milestone” for the community.
“The signing of this Impact Benefit Agreement marks a historic milestone for Atikameksheng Anishnawbek. This agreement ensures that our Nation will share in the substantial financial benefits, empSuloyment opportunities, and procurement commitments for the life of the Victoria Mine. These benefits will support the growth of our community and provide opportunities for Debendaagziwaad for generations to come.”
