First Nation digs into mine training: Wahgoshig, Primero Mining find common ground in hard rock mining.

AuthorRoss, Ian
PositionTemiskaming & Region

A Northern College mining training program is providing a path to employment for a northeastern Ontario First Nation community.

A Feb. 24 ceremony held at the college's Timmins campus for five Wahgoshig First Nation residents who graduated from the underground hard rock miner common core program marked the fourth and final class from a successful three-way partnership between the college, Wahgoshig First Nation and Primero Mining Corp., operators of the Black Fox Gold Mine near Matheson.

Buoyed by funding from the province's Aboriginal Economic Development Fund, that brings the total complement of Wahgoshig graduates to 24, with 72 per cent from that group still working in the mining industry.

The training has been a life-changing experience for many 20-somethings in the community of 170, just south of Matheson, said George Sackaney, the community's Aboriginal liaison officer.

We're very happy with the success rate of the program. It gives an opportunity for our young people to get good steady employment.

Eight years ago, the community's unemployment rate hovered around 85 per cent.

Now he places it at five per cent, with many residents working for Primero and Detour Gold in the fertile mineral belt between Timmins and Kirkland Lake.

Sackaney finds the program prepares them well to enter the workforce and meet the expectations of employers.

"I personally know eight (graduates) who are registered band members and they're all doing great.

They were very happy with the opportunity if given the chance to better themselves, and from what I've seen their lives got better.

Over eight years, Sackaney said the community and the mine have forged tight bonds and maintain a strong working relationship.

Wahgoshig has six impact benefit agreements with mining companies on their traditional land which stretches from north of Detour Lake to the Quebec border and as far south as New Liskeard, and are in the processing of negotiating a couple more training agreements, he said.

Christine Heavens, the college's executive director of community, business development and employment services, said Primero made no guarantees that these graduates would secure work within the company, although they have hired them in the past.

What they provide for us is that venue in a live production mine to do the training.

But it makes sense for miners to strike training partnerships with local First Nations on whose traditional lands their operations are situated and help...

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