Fostering positive and collaborative relationships with local communities is essential for building the foundations of a successful project and delivering socio-economic benefits as well as a positive legacy for host communities.

As early as possible, we engage and partner with local stakeholders and Indigenous groups to assess the levels of social acceptability and potential impacts of the project within the host community.  This allows us to mitigate potential negative impacts, and discover opportunities for collaboration, avoiding potential conflict and building community relationships on a foundation of trust and transparency.

We understand that we must continuously earn the trust of the local community by being a reliable partner and good neighbour, and by being inclusive, open and transparent in our engagements.  Therefore, we take a life cycle approach to our relationship and initiatives with local communities and Indigenous Peoples, as examples show in the following figure.

To learn more about our approach to community engagement and commitments, please visit Agnico Eagle’s website opens a new window.

The arrival of an exploration team in a community is often the first contact residents have with a mining company.  It is also the first step to building trust and positive relationships, which are key to gaining and maintaining our social license to explore, and potentially to operate a mine in the region.  That is why, from the onset of our exploration work, Agnico Eagle’s teams focus on understanding and being respectful of the needs of the community and the local environment.

Early on at the Upper Beaver project, our team performed a stakeholder mapping exercise to identify key stakeholders and interested groups and engage or consult with them regarding our activities and plans.

We will continue to update our stakeholder list on a regular basis and continue engaging with them as the Upper Beaver project progresses and throughout the environmental permitting process.

If you want to be added or recommend a person or a group to be added as a local stakeholder or interested group of the Upper Beaver project, please fill out our contact us form to be added as a local stakeholder opens a new window

Public consultations by government authorities

As mentioned in the Environmental Authorization section, the Ontario provincial government requires environmental studies and permits, as well as public consultations, for all advanced exploration and mine development projects.  Applications for projects with a potential effect on the environment are posted on Ontario’s Environmental Registry opens a new window, providing the public the opportunity to submit comments directly online.

All authorizations or approvals required for the Production/Mining phase will come at a later stage.  More information on this specific process will be provided in time.

At the federal level, the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada determined that an Impact Assessment is required for the Upper Beaver project, and has held public consultations. See the Impact Assessment section for more information on the Impact Assessment process and timeline.

Agnico Eagle works with Indigenous Nations to establish mutually beneficial, cooperative, and productive relationships.  Our approach focuses on early and meaningful engagement, effective two-way communication, consultation, and partnership.​​

For more information on Agnico Eagle's commitment to Indigenous Peoples, consult our Indigenous Peoples Engagement Policy and our Reconciliation Action Plan. Agnico Eagle abides by the Towards Sustainable Mining Indigenous and Community Relationships Protocol, with our Ontario operations receiving AAA ratings across all five performance indicators. ​

Agnico Eagle has been exploring in the Kirkland Lake area for many years, and we have actively engaged with Indigenous Nations on our current and planned activities in the area. We have exploration and working agreements in place with several Indigenous Nations in proximity to the Upper Beaver Project. ​

Ongoing engagement activities with Indigenous Nations include, but are not limited to:​

• Project update meetings with Chiefs and Band Councils ​
• In-community sessions/workshops on topics of interest​
• One-on-one meetings, notification of activities, site visits, and field inspections as appropriate, requested, or included in agreements​
• Advance notice prior to regulatory submissions, including opportunities to review materials and provide feedback to inform decision-making​
• Co-development of consultation workplans​
• Continued collaboration on Traditional Knowledge & Land Use, and Socio-Economic studies, as appropriate, and dependent on each Nation's preferences​
• Meeting summaries shared with participants for review and validation​

As the Upper Beaver Project progresses, Agnico Eagle will continue to engage Indigenous people, their governments, and organizations in a manner that advances their meaningful input on the Project.​

We know that mine development can raise concerns, especially with close neighbours. We want our local stakeholders to understand our activities and priorities, and we also want to understand their concerns. By establishing, from the outset, a framework that addresses these concerns and finds solutions to mitigate potential negative impacts, we can discover opportunities for collaboration, avoid potential conflict and build community relationships on a foundation of trust and transparency.

We value such an approach because fostering positive and collaborative relationships with local communities is essential for building a successful project and delivering socio-economic benefits.

We focus on maintaining active and regular communications through proven communications tools such as phone calls, letters, emails, and this specific project website to provide timely information at all stages of the project’s development. This helps us receive timely feedback from property owners on the framework and possible mitigation measures, supporting harmonious cohabitation. Our team is also available to meet in-person upon request.