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Voisey’s Bay

June 11, 2002

Our government is very pleased that Inco Limited and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador have been successful in negotiating an agreement for a mining lease at Voisey’s Bay. We also welcome the tentative agreements on impacts and benefits with the Labrador Inuit Association and the Innu Nation.

We believe that the Voisey’s Bay project will bring jobs and greater prosperity to Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as to Northern Ontario and Manitoba. There will also be significant employment and business opportunities for Aboriginal people.

As with all business ventures, the federal government is poised to help in any way that it can through existing programs.

The Voisey’s Bay project offers significant economic and skills development opportunities, especially for Aboriginal people. It also promises leading-edge technology that will support sustainable development and eco-efficiency.

Through various programs involving Industry Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Human Resources Development Canada and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the federal government could contribute up to $150 million to the Voisey’s Bay project.

The programs to which the project would be eligible could involve the following objectives:

  • support the efforts of Aboriginal people to take advantage of the economic opportunities that this project offers, helping them come to the table as equal partners;
  • help equip Aboriginal people with the skills they need to fully participate in this project, which is an important part of the Government’s skills and learning agenda;
  • support the research and development that help increase the technological and innovative capabilities of Canadian industries, including innovative hydrometallurgical processing technology; and
  • increase the technology base of the region, attracting other opportunities that will ensure a prosperous future for Atlantic Canada.

Construction of the Voisey’s Bay project is planned to begin in the summer of 2002.


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