Nunatsiaq News: Baffinland lays off 586 contract employees, halts planned work
Baffinland Iron Mines Corp. says it has laid off 586 contracted employees working at its Mary River mine.
Of those contractors, 96 are Inuit and 490 are non-Inuit, the company said in an email to Nunatsiaq News.
No direct Baffinland employees are affected, Baffinland said.
The layoffs come shortly after the Nunavut Impact Review Board’s decision on Nov. 6 to abruptly adjourn its public hearing on the company’s expansion plans.
“Due to the uncertainty of Phase 2 permit approvals, work associated with the 2019 Work Plan has been demobilized,” Salima Virani, a communications specialist for Baffinland, said in the email.
On Nov. 6, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. President Aluki Kotierk brought forward a motion to immediately suspend the final public hearing and defer its continuation for eight months to one year.
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In an email to Nunatsiaq News, the Qikiqtani Inuit Association said it is very concerned about Inuit job losses at the mine.
“QIA is very concerned about Inuit employment and contracts at the Mary River Project. We know that every single job matters. Our team has reached out to Baffinland to get more information about possible layoffs or termination of contracts with Inuit firms. We are awaiting the company’s response,” QIA said.
