Iqaluit, Nunavut – October 23, 2018 – The Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) and Baffinland Iron Mines Corp. release signed copies of the amended Mary River Inuit Impact Benefit Agreement (IIBA). A QIA team will visit all five impacted communities to share information on the new benefits.

“This amended Mary River IIBA is a testament to how much QIA has achieved in tangible benefits for Qikiqtani Inuit through the renegotiation,” says QIA President, P.J. Akeeagok, “I am proud that we delivered on what communities wanted: more training and employment opportunities for Inuit.”

This past April QIA’s team led by Eva Aariak, IIBA Chief Negotiator for the Qikiqtani Inuit Association’s Mary River Project visited communities impacted by the mine to gather input. The recommendations received during these visits were used to develop QIA’s overall negotiation strategy.

“During our community visits, Inuit stressed the need for more training and jobs,” says Eva Aariak, “I am pleased that the new benefits in the Mary River IIBA, such as a training centre in Pond Inlet, directly address these needs.”

Aariak will now lead another community tour to share information on the amended Mary River IIBA with Inuit in Arctic Bay, Clyde River, Sanirajak, Igloolik, and Pond Inlet.

Article 22.2 of the IIBA between Baffinland and QIA, states that an IIBA review takes place every three years for potential amendments and improvements to the agreement. Based on this review, which took place this year, certain articles in the IIBA were renegotiated.

This Amended Agreement, available on QIA’s website, will replace the Mary River IIBA, originally signed in September 2013.

Some highlights from the amended Mary River IIBA:

• $10 million toward the design and construction of a regional training centre in Pond Inlet
• A significantly expanded Inuit training budget
  • $2.25 million per year from 2018-2021
  • $1.5 million on the delivery of training to Inuit from 2021-2031
• Harvesters Enabling Fund ($400,000/year)
  • A fund will be established that will provide fuel for Inuit in Pond Inlet.
  • This fund was created to assist Inuit in accessing wildlife, recognizing that due to project activities Inuit may need to travel further to harvest wildlife.
  • This program will run for 10-years
• Marine Equipment Program ($300,000/vessel)
  • Every three years Baffinland will purchase and transfer ownership of a vessel that can be used for research to Pond Inlet, Arctic Bay, Clyde River, Igloolik and Sanirajak
  • The goal is that within 12-years each community will have received a vessel for research
• Monitoring Fund ($200,000/year)
  • This fund is specific to Pond Inlet and will support independent monitoring of the project. The results from this work will be used to support changes to reduce or avoid project impacts.

QIA looks forwards to continuing to partner with Baffinland on joint projects that benefit Inuit.

Dates of Community Visits (subject to weather and technical delays):

Pond Inlet – November 2, 2018

Clyde River – November 3, 2018

Sanirajak – November 5, 2018

Igloolik – November 5, 2018

Arctic Bay – November 6, 2018

For more information, please contact:

Sima Sahar Zerehi, Director of Communications, Qikiqtani Inuit Association

szerehi@qia.ca

867.975.8413

1.800.667.2742