A Kirkland Lake mine is being recognized for a pilot project that relocated mine workers from Mexico to help alleviate its shortage of specialized workers.
Macassa Mine received the 2024 Michel Létourneau Award from its parent company, Agnico Eagle, for its Skilled Trades Relocation Initiative.
The mining company presents the award annually to an employee or team that makes a strong contribution to teamwork, productivity improvements, cost control, innovation, accident prevention or health and safety.
In the summer of 2024, 12 employees from Mexico relocated with their families to Kirkland Lake to take positions that had remained vacant despite ongoing local recruitment efforts.
Agnico Eagle said it was in particular need of heavy-duty equipment mechanics — about 25 such positions go unfilled every year. The mine employs just under 1,000 people.
“We posted jobs locally and screened over 100 resumes. About half didn’t meet the basic qualifications,” said Stacey Rodel, the human resources superintendent for Macassa, in a news release.
“That’s when we realized we needed a different approach. From our Mexico sites, we found people who knew our systems, shared our values and had the right skills. It just made sense.”
SEE: Agnico Eagle looks to Mexican immigration for Kirkland Lake pilot project
The company noted that, as some of Agnico Eagle's Mexico operations wound down, employees expressed interest in continuing to work for them. Fifty employees from the Pinos Altos and La India mines in Mexico applied to relocate to Canada, and 12 were successful.
In the year preceding the move, the company conducted Labour Market Impact Assessments, held interviews and site visits, provided English training, and gave community tours, all to make sure the candidates were a good professional and personal fit.
In November 2023, the selected employees and their families visited Kirkland Lake for a tour of the mine, a meeting with community leaders, and a welcome dinner.
Agnico Eagle provided ongoing support, arranging housing, school placements, and pet accommodations, and providing ongoing coaching about life in Canada.
After arriving last year, employees and their families received continued support from Kirkland Lake Multicultural Group, including assistance with health cards and driver's licences, as well as a Spanish-language guide about what to expect from a Canadian winter.
SEE: Mexican mining immigrants adjusting to Kirkland Lake life, says Agnico Eagle
Since their arrival, Agnico Eagle said the employees and their families have integrated well into the mine culture and the community, and are thinking about their futures, including permanent residency and supervisory roles.
The company said the initiative serves as a “model for future workforce planning.”
“When we decided to do this, we didn’t realize how big an undertaking it would be. But the results have been so positive,” Mariana Pinheiro, Macassa's general manager, said in the release.
“It’s not just about having more people underground – it’s about the culture they’ve brought. Their energy lifts the whole team.”
Macassa Mine, which produces gold and silver, has been in operation since 1933 and is one of the world's highest-grade gold mines. In 2024, the mine produced 279,384 ounces of gold.
