Blockades at Mary River Continue to Stop Food, Supplies Getting to Workers

Mary River, NU, February 9, 2021 –  The blockades at Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation’s (“Baffinland”) Mary River Project which are preventing any air traffic in or out of the site are ongoing. 

Yesterday, Baffinland met with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI), the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA), the Mayor of Pond Inlet, the Government of Nunavut, and the RCMP compelling all parties to find a way to help resolve the issue of the blockades. While there was an agreement for support from all parties attending, the attendees have yet to find resolution or make progress toward reopening of the airstrip at Mary River.

Baffinland President and CEO Brian Penney impressed on attendees of the meeting that there are more than 700 men and women who are currently on site. Baffinland is responsible for the safety of every person at Mary River, including all employees, contractors, and the protestors.  Many of the people working at Mary River have been on site for 21 days now and they are not being allowed to leave, nor are food and supply flights being allowed to land. Working in the high Arctic, those on site bring enough additional medicine and supplies for potential weather delays, however continued suspension of air travel and blocking of medicine and supplies will have an impact in the near term.  

The Mary River airstrip has been closed since February 4, 2021 and all flights including food, supplies, employee and contractor crew changes, search and rescue flights, and other North Baffin air traffic support services provided by the Mary River airstrip have been suspended.

The blockades began while the Nunavut Impact Review Board’s (NIRB) Public Hearing process on the Phase 2 Development Proposal was underway in Iqaluit and Pond Inlet. This process is still ongoing and the NIRB has not issued any recommendations regarding Phase 2. The Public Hearing is expected to continue once the NIRB sets the date for the Community Roundtable, currently anticipated to take place sometime next month.

Baffinland respects the right to peaceful protest, however Baffinland cannot allow any activity to continue that causes a safety concern to any of the people on site. At this time, all attempts to negotiate the reopening of the Mary River airstrip made no progress and Baffinland is considering all options to reopen the airstrip.

A group of protestors erected two blockades at the Mary River Project, one on the airstrip and one on a section of the tote road. The safety of everyone on site remains Baffinland’s primary focus.  

For any media inquiries:
Baffinland Iron Mines
Heather Smiles, Manager Stakeholder Relations
(T): +1 416 702 5553
media@baffinland.com

About Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation
Jointly owned by The Energy and Minerals Group and ArcelorMittal, Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation operates a high-grade iron ore mine located on Baffin Island, Nunavut. The Mary River Mine produces the highest grade of direct shipping iron ore in the world. Baffinland is committed to operating in an environmentally and socially responsible manner that benefits all stakeholders. Learn more at baffinland.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴᑲᐅᑎᒋ

ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ  ᑐᓴᖅᑎᑦᑎᕗᑦ  ᓄᓘᔮᖕᓂ  ᓄᖅᑲᖓᑎᑦᑎᔪᓄᑦ 
 

ᓄᓘᔮᒃ,  ᓄᓇᕗᑦ,  ᕖᕝᕗᐊᕆ 9, 2021–  ᓄᖅᑲᖓᑎᑦᑎᓃᑦ  ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐ  ᓴᕕᕐᔭᒃᓴᓄᑦ  ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖏᑕ  ᑯᐊᐳᕇᓴᖓᑕ (“ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐ”)  ᓄᓘᔮᖕᓂ  ᐱᓕᕆᓂᐊᓂ  ᐊᐅᓚᕈᓐᓇᐃᓪᓕᑎᑦᑎᔪᑦ  ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓕᒫᓂᒃ  ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒧᑦ  ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥᓪᓗ  ᑲᔪᓯᕗᑦ  ᓱᓕ.  

ᐃᑉᐸᒃᓴᖅ,  ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ  ᑲᑎᖃᑎᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ  ᓄᓇᕗᑦ  ᑐᙵᕕᒃ  ᐃᓐᑯᐊᐳᕇᑕᑦᑯᓐᓂᒃ  (ᑐᙵᕕᒃ),  ᕿᑭᖅᑕᓂ  ᐃᓄᐃᑦ  ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᖏᑦ (ᕿᑭᖅᑕᓂᒃᑯᑦ),  ᒪᐃᔭᖓᑦ  ᒥᑦᑎᒪᑕᓕᖕᒥ,  ᓄᓇᕘᒃᑯᑦ  ᒐᕙᒪᖏᓐᓂᒃ  ᐸᓖᓯᒃᑯᓐᓂᒡᓗ  ᐃᓚᐅᔪᓕᒫᑦ  ᕿᓂᖅᖢᑎᒃ  ᒪᑐᓯᒪᔪᓄᑦ  ᓈᒻᒪᒃᓯᔾᔪᑎᒃᓴᓂᒃ.  ᐃᑲᔪᕋᓗᐊᖅᖢᑎᒃ  ᐃᓚᐅᔪᓕᒫᑦ,  ᐃᓚᐅᖃᑕᐅᔪᑦ  ᓈᒻᒪᒃᓯᔾᔪᑎᓯᐊᕈᓐᓇᙱᓚᑦ  ᓯᕗᒧᐊᕐᓗᑎᒡᓘᓐᓃᑦ  ᒪᑐᐃᖅᑕᐅᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂᐊᓄᑦ  ᒥᕝᕕᐅᑉ  ᓄᓘᔮᖕᓂ.  

ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ   ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᖓ  ᐳᕋᐃᐊᓐ  ᐱᐊᓂ  ᑐᑭᓯᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ  ᑲᑎᒪᖃᑕᐅᔪᓂᒃ  ᐅᖓᑖᓂ  700  ᐃᓄᖃᕐᒪᑕ  ᐊᖑᑎᓂᒃ  ᐊᕐᓇᓂᒡᓗ  ᒫᓐᓇᐅᔪᖅ  ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒦᑦᑐᓂᒃ.  ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ  ᑎᓕᔭᐅᓯᒪᕗᑦ  ᐊᑦᑕᕐᓇᖏᑦᑐᒦᑎᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ  ᑭᒃᑯᓕᒫᑦ  ᓄᓘᔮᖕᓃᑐᑦ,  ᐱᖃᓯᐅᖦᖢᒋᑦ  ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᓕᒫᑦ,  ᑳᓐᑐᕌᒃᑏᑦ  ᐊᑲᐅᒃᓴᖏᑦᑐᓪᓗ.  ᐅᓄᖅᑐᑦ  ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑐᑦ  ᓄᓘᔮᙱ  ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒦᓯᒪᓕᖅᐳᑦ  21  ᐅᓪᓗᓄᑦ  ᐊᐅᓪᓚᖅᑎᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᕋᑎᒃ,  ᓂᕿᓄᓪᓗ  ᐊᑐᒐᒃᓴᓄᓪᓗ  ᖃᖓᑕᓲᑦ  ᒥᑎᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᕋᑎᒃ.  ᐱᓕᕆᓪᓗᓂ  ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑑᑉ  ᖁᑦᑎᖕᓂᐊᓂ,  ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒧᐊᖅᑐᑦ    ᓱᓕᒃᑲᓐᓂᓂᒃ   ᐃᓅᓕᓴᐅᑎᒡᒋᖃᑦᑕᕐᒪᑕ  ᐊᑐᕐᓂᐊᖅᑕᒥᓂᒡᓗ  ᓯᓚᓄᑦ  ᐊᔪᕈᑎᓄᑦ,  ᑭᓯᐊᓂ  ᖃᖓᑕᓲᑦ  ᓄᖅᑲᖓᐃᓐᓇᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ  ᒪᑐᓯᓯᒪᑎᓪᓗᒋᓪᓗ  ᐃᓅᓕᓴᐅᑏᑦ  ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᓖᓪᓗ  ᐊᒃᑐᐃᓂᖃᕐᓂᐊᖅᐳᑦ  ᖃᖓᑦᑎᐊᕐᒧᑦ.        

ᓄᓘᔮᖕᓂ  ᒥᕝᕕᒃ  ᒪᑐᓯᒪᓕᖅᐳᖅ  ᕖᕝᕗᐊᕆ 4, 2021ᒥᑦ  ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓕᒫᓪᓗ  ᐱᖃᓯᐅᖦᖢᒋᑦ  ᓂᕿᓄᑦ,  ᐊᑐᕆᐊᓕᖕᓄᑦ,  ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᓄᑦ  ᑳᓐᑐᕌᒃᑏᓪᓗ   ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᖏᓐᓄᑦ  ᑕᐅᖅᓯᓃᑦ,  ᕿᓂᕐᓂᕐᓄᓪᓗ  ᖃᖓᑕᓃᑦ,  ᐊᓯᖏᓪᓗ  ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓘᑉ  ᐅᐊᖕᓇᖓᓂ  ᖃᖓᑕᔪᓄᑦ  ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓃᑦ  ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᑎᑕᐅᔪᑦ  ᓄᓘᔮᖕᓂ   ᒥᕝᕕᖕᒧᑦ   ᓄᖅᑲᖅᑎᑕᐅᓯᒪᕗᑦ.   

ᒪᑐᓯᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ  ᓄᓇᕘᒥ  ᐊᕙᑎᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ  ᑲᑎᒪᔨᖏᑕ  ᐃᓄᓕᒫᓄᑦ  ᑲᑎᒪᑎᑦᑎᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ  ᐱᓕᕆᓂᐅᑉ  ᒪᕐᕈᐊᑕ  ᓴᓇᔭᐅᓂᖓᓄᑦ  ᐱᔪᒪᓇᓲᑎᒧᑦ  ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓂ  ᒥᑦᑎᒪᑕᓕᖕᒥᓗ.  ᑖᓐᓇ  ᐱᓕᕆᓂᖅ  ᑲᔪᓯᕗᖅ  ᓱᓕ  ᐊᕙᑎᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓪᓗ  ᑎᓕᐅᕆᓯᒪᙱᓚᑦ  ᐱᓕᕆᓂᐅᑉ  ᒪᕐᕈᐊᓄᑦ.  ᐃᓄᓕᒫᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᖅ  ᑲᔪᓯᓛᕋᓱᒋᔭᐅᔪᑦ  ᐊᕙᑎᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ   ᐅᓪᓗᓕᐅᕈᑎᒃ  ᑭᒃᑯᓕᒫᓄᑦ  ᑲᑎᒪᔪᓄᑦ,  ᓂᕆᐅᒋᔭᐅᔪᖅ  ᑕᖅᑭᐅᓛᖅᑐᒥ   ᐊᐅᓚᔭᐅᓛᕋᓱᒋᔭᐅᓪᓗᓂ.  

ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ  ᐃᒃᐱᒍᓱᒃᐳᑦ  ᐱᔾᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᕐᓄᑦ   ᐱᑦᑎᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ   ᐊᑲᐅᒃᓴᖏᑦᑐᓄᑦ,  ᑭᓯᐊᓂ  ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ  ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᖅᑐᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂᒃ  ᑲᔪᓯᑎᑦᑎᔪᓐᓇᙱᓚᑦ   ᐊᑦᑕᕐᓇᕈᓐᓇᖅᑐᓂᒃ    ᑭᒃᑯᓕᒫᓄᑦ  ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ  ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒦᑦᑐᓄᑦ.  ᒫᓐᓇᐅᔪᖅ,  ᐊᖏᖃᑎᒌᒐᓱᖕᓂᓕᒫᑦ  ᒪᑐᐃᖅᑕᐅᒃᑲᓐᓂᖁᓪᓗᒍ  ᓄᓘᔮᖕᓂ  ᒥᕝᕕᒃ  ᓯᕗᒧᐊᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᙱᓚᑦ  ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᓪᓗ  ᖃᓄᓕᒫᖅ  ᖃᓄᖅᑑᕋᓱᒃᐳᑦ  ᒪᑐᐃᖁᓪᓗᒍ  ᒥᕝᕕᒃ.    

ᖃᔅᓰᑦ  ᐊᑲᐅᒃᓴᖏᑦᑐᑦ  ᒪᑐᓯᓚᐅᕐᒪᑕ  ᒪᕐᕉᖕᓂᒃ  ᓄᓘᔮᖕᓂ  ᐱᓕᕆᔪᓂ,  ᐊᐃᑉᐸᖓ  ᒥᕝᕕᖕᒥ  ᐊᐅᑉᐸᖓᓗ  ᐅᓯᑲᖅᑕᕐᕕᐅᑉ  ᐊᖅᑯᑎᐊᓂ.  ᑭᒃᑯᓕᒫᑦ  ᐊᑦᑕᕐᓇᖏᑦᑐᒦᓐᓂᖏᑦ   ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᓐᓄᑦ  ᐊᒃᓱᕉᑕᐅᓗᐊᖅᐳᑦ.      

ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᓕᕆᔨᓄᑦ  ᑐᓴᕈᒪᔪᓄᑦ:  
ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ  ᓴᕕᕋᔭᒃᓴᓄᑦ  ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕖᑦ
ᕼᐃᐊᑐ  ᔅᒪᐃᔪᔅ
ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᔨ  ᑎᒍᒥᐊᖃᑕᐅᔪᓄᑦ  ᐃᓅᖃᑎᒌᖕᓃᑦ
(T): +1 416 702 5553
media@baffinland.com