Representatives of our Côté Gold mine located in Northern Ontario and community members of Flying Post First Nation recently gathered for an info session and a day of appreciation in Nipigon, Ontario.

The info session provided our Côté Gold team an opportunity to update the community on matters of shared interest such as the mine’s operations, environmental initiatives, employment and training programs and other projects. The day finished on a high note with the group going salmon fishing together on Nipigon River!

Chief Murray Ray of Flying Post First Nation thanked IAMGOLD for its presentation and the significant contribution to the development of the community over the years. As for Bryan Wilson, Côté Gold’s Vice President and General Manager, he thanked the Chief and all Flying Post First Nation members in attendance for their hospitality and longstanding partnership.

Flying Post First Nation is among the host communities IAMGOLD has been partnering with since our company purchased the Côté Gold deposit in 2012. In 2019, an Impact and Benefits Agreement was signed between Flying Post First Nation and IAMGOLD. Mattagami First Nation, another Treaty 9 First Nation community, is also a party to the same agreement.

What our Vice President and General Manager at Côté Gold said:

“Our longstanding partnership with Flying Post First Nation is very important to us. The support and insight we have received from the community since we started collaborating, well before the actual construction of the Côté Gold mine even began, has been invaluable. This type of partnership is crucial in ensuring our organization can maximize the benefits of our mining activities for all involved.”

Bryan Wilson, Vice President and General Manager, Côté Gold

💡 What is an IBA?

An IBA is a confidential agreement that acknowledges the impact of industrial development and outlines benefits and compensation for impacts to the land and the ways of life of the Indigenous community signatories. IBAs provide tools for active participation in environmental management and opportunities for benefits. These include participation in employment and training, business opportunities and resource revenue sharing! For further information on IBAs, consult the Mining Association of Canada’s page on the topic.