Goldcorp Signs First Nations Agreement for Coffee Project


David Garofalo, CEO, Goldcorp, shakes hands with Roberta Joseph, chief of Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in.
Goldcorp and the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in (TH), a self-governing Yukon First Nation based in Dawson City, entered into a collaborative agreement related to the Coffee gold project. The agreement represents a significant milestone toward building a longterm relationship between Goldcorp and the TH and the development of the Coffee gold project in the Yukon. In addition to employment, contracting, training and skills-development initiatives, the agreement outlines environmental protection commitments that combine traditional knowledge and modern technologies for the Coffee gold project. The agreement is one of many First Nation partnerships for Goldcorp across Canada, but the first for the company in the Yukon.

“The completion of this agreement is a testament to our commitment to building strong, collaborative relationships based on open, honest communication and will lay a solid foundation for our ongoing partnership in the TH’s traditional territory,” said David Garofalo, president and CEO of Goldcorp. “Through strong collaboration, mutual commitments and respect for each other, together, we can create shared value with mutual benefits through all stages of Coffee’s mine life.”

“It took a significant amount of effort by the TH and our citizens to achieve the agreement we have today. Our discussions went back several years, including workshops and many meetings throughout the exploration, feasibility, pre-YESAB and post YESAB review stages,” said Roberta Joseph, chief of Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in. “Our collaborative agreement provides for economic opportunities for the TH, ensures we will be able to take the necessary steps with Goldcorp to protect the environment and establishes a solid relationship, which addresses the values of our Treaty Rights and community recommendations, all of which taken together provides the TH and Goldcorp with the certainty we each need for the project to move forward.”

Through consultation with the TH government and citizens, priorities were determined, and as a result the agreement includes measurable benefits for the TH citizens, including business development opportunities, sustainable solutions, regulatory permitting consultation and future financial contributions. The Coffee gold project is a high-grade potential open pit and heap-leach development project that has the potential to grow into a large district-scale operation. Construction on the project is expected to begin in 2019 and the project is expected to reach commercial production in 2021.

As featured in Womp 2018 Vol 05 - www.womp-int.com