QIA Begins a Community Engagement Tour
Press Release
(November 3rd, 2015, Iqaluit, NU) – The Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) is gearing towards building a position for the Phase II of the Mary River Project (MRP) and will be conducting an initial Community Engagement Tour within the 5 affected communities by the MRP (Pond Inlet, Arctic Bay, Clyde River, Igloolik, Hall Beach) over the next three months.
“QIA will participate in the Nunavut Impact Review Board process regarding the proposed Phase II of the
Mary River Project. QIA’s views will be based on the voices of those beneficiaries to be directly impacted by the proposed Phase II of the Mary River Project,” said P.J. Akeeagok, President of QIA.
To ensure QIA is hearing from community members, the Community Engagement Tour will consist of an open house and three radio shows in each affected community. The radio shows will ask questions focused on Phase II project design and its potential impacts. Topics from each radio show will be summarized and presented at the next radio show.
The first radio show will be hosted by QIA President PJ Akeeagok, NTI President Cathy Towtongie, QIA Executive Committee Member and Pond Inlet Community Director Enookie Inuarak, along with the QIA Community Director and Community Liaison Officer (CLO) from each community. The second and third radio shows will be hosted by the QIA Community Director and CLO. Information compiled during the radio show will then be summarized in a report and returned to the community to confirm what was heard.
A few of, the Phase II proposed changes to the MRP include icebreaking from October to June with no shipping in April of May, the construction of a second ore dock at Milne Inlet, bigger camps and more fuel storage, and an substantial increase of trucks and truck traffic and open-water shipping.
The schedule for the community visits is the following:
November 9 – Pond Inlet
November 11 – Arctic Bay
November 13 – Clyde River
November 15 – Hall Beach
November 16 – Igloolik
For further information regarding the Phase II of the MRP, the Community Engagement Tour, the IIBA or
QIA’s involvement, please contact QIA at (toll-free) 1.867.667.2742 (local) 867.975.8400 or visit QIA’s website at www.qia.ca.
Additional announcements in QIA’s social media outlets will provide details regarding each community visit.
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Media contact:
Maude Bertrand
Director of Communications Qikiqtani Inuit Association mbertrand@qia.ca 1.800.667.2742 1.867.975.8413
ILR5
