Stornoway discusses Cree partnership, Renard Project

While Stornaway Diamond Corporation spokesperson Ghislain Poirier insists that 2013 has been a “year of transitions,” the mining giant can boast of a successful relationship with their partners in the Renard Project, the Crees of Eeyou Istchee.

“We are proud to say that we didn’t so much negotiate an agreement with the Crees but we built this agreement together,” said Poirier. “It was a different approach and each party has their own commitments in the agreement and their own concerns and so this has become a real win-win,” said Poirier.

While the Renard project is still in its initial phase, the main goal of the past year was to complete the extension of Highway 167 to the site. The road’s completion means the project is almost shovel ready.

Poirier said the company has all of the necessary permits, mining lease, restoration plan, social acceptability and airstrip in place. The final hurdle for the company is to secure adequate financing.

“Our target is to meet this goal by the first quarter of 2014,” said Poirier. “While we had hoped to achieve it by the end of this year, due to the difficulty in the current market it was not possible. We need a little bit more than $800 million, half of which has already been secured. So now we are working towards getting the rest.”

Poirier said that having the Cree onboard has been an incredible asset as it was thanks to their partnership that Stornoway was able to negotiate the road and airstrip projects with the government so quickly.

When it came to road negotiations, Poirier said that Mistissini’s Eskan Holding Company played an important role by creating a consortium of Cree and Chibougamau enterprises, build the highway extension.

“When people know that the road they are building will be theirs since it is on their territory and is one that they will be using, it makes a huge difference. Everyone was smiling on this construction site,” said Poirier.

According to Poirier, the work environment and the relationships between those on the job site only keep improving as the bonds between these workers strengthened.

On top of that, the project was completed two months ahead of schedule and came in at 10% below the budget – something Poirier credits largely to the effectiveness and the productivity of Eskan and its sub-contractors.

Another area of accomplishment is the support Stornoway was able to provide Kiskinshiish Camp Services, a newly created 100% Cree-owned company based in Mistissini for catering and janitorial services.

Part of the agreement signed with the Cree laid the groundwork for Stornoway to provide business opportunities for the tallymen and the necessary support to do so.

According to Poirier, this is a joint venture between Gestion ADC (a subsidiary of the Cree Construction & Development Co.) and the family of Sydney Swallow, a M-11 tallyman.

The joint venture was able to employ several of Swallow’s 12 children with Kiskinshiish at the Lagopede camp. Nannie, Swallow’s wife, is now a manager of this business.

“For Stornoway, the success of Kiskinshiish is a real achievement because we have contributed to the development of a sustainable Cree enterprise with the strong support of Gestion ADC. We are proud of Kiskinshiish’s performance and are confident this family business will flourish,” said Poirier.

Poirier also said that hiring Freddie Mianscum as the company’s Mecheshoo Agreement Implementation Officer this year is another success. Mianscum came to Stornoway with 13 years of experience at the Troilus mine.

The goal with Mianscum’s hiring was not only ensure that the Impact Benefit Agreement was properly carried out but that he could act as Stornoway’s ambassador within the community. Poirier said Mianscum has done well because he knows “everybody” in Mistissini and Chibougamau.

With the groundwork laid for construction to begin on the mine, Poirier anticipates an employment boom. The mine start-up planned for 2016 is expected to create 482 permanent jobs.

These are positions that will last between 20 and 30 years and Stornoway expects to be in the region for much longer.

Many of these jobs will require a variety of professional training programs. Stornoway has set up a joint Training and Employment Committee to work closely with local and regional institutions (like the Cree School Board and the Cree Human Resources Development) to maximize Cree employment.

The mine will need graduates from the Ore Extraction program, and heavy machinery operators and mechanics will be in high demand.

“The CSB and CHRD are well aware of our employment needs and we have collaborated with them to be sure that at the appropriate time they will be initiating these programs.

“We have two CHRD employees on our Training and Employment Committee and we have provided a list of what kinds of qualified employees we need as well as the timing for them,” said Poirier.