Community investment

Diavik’s investment in community consultation and capacity building is evident from the initial planning stages of the Diavik Diamond Mine.

The Diavik Diamond Mine sees itself as a guest in a land where Aboriginal people assert a centuries-old presence. In planning the mine, Diavik consulted extensively with local communities about its operation and effects. Diavik is committed to providing significant training, employment and business opportunities to residents in local communities of the Northwest Territories and the West Kitikmeot region of Nunavut, ensuring that it leaves a legacy of economically and socially stable local communities in the region.

Diavik’s commitment to community development and investment is evident in the Diavik Socio-Economic Monitoring Agreement (SEMA), which was formalized in 1999 between Diavik Diamond Mines Inc. and the Government of Northwest Territories. The agreement was ratified by local Aboriginal communities and outlines Diavik's commitment to provide training, employment and business opportunities to northerners and, more specifically, indigenous northerners.  Diavik individualized these commitments through Participation Agreements negotiated with each of the same five Aboriginal groups:

• Tlicho Government
• Yellowknives Dene First Nation
• North Slave Metis Alliance
• Kitikmeot Inuit Association
• Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation

Commitments under SEMA are reported publicly semi-annually.

• Diavik committed to supporting a 40 per cent northern workforce during construction. At its conclusion, Diavik had reached 44 per cent northern employment.
• Diavik committed to reaching levels of northern purchasing of 38 per cent during construction. At its conclusion, Diavik had actually reached 74 per cent, representing about CAD $900 million in contracts with northern companies, of which approximately $600 million was with Aboriginal companies.
• During operations, Diavik has committed to purchasing 70 per cent of its annual requirements for goods and services from northern companies.
• For operations, Diavik committed to 66 per cent northern employment and 40 per cent Aboriginal employment for its operations. In 2009, Diavik’s workforce average 810 people with 528 people (65 per cent) northern, one half of which are Aboriginal.
• From start of construction through seven years of operations (2000-2009), Diavik’s total cumulative spending was $4.5 billion, of which 72 per cent was northern. Diavik is one of only a few companies in Canada to have surpassed $1 billion spending with Aboriginal business. As of year-end 2009, Diavik's spending with Aboriginal business was in fact nearly $2 billion.

Diavik formally involves communities in monitoring and in an advisory capacity through the Environmental Monitoring Advisory Board created under the Environmental Agreement, the Diavik Communities Advisory Board under the Socio-Economic Monitoring Agreement, and implementation committees under its Participation Agreements.

Diavik’s ongoing commitment to its workforce and to local communities is also evident in its heath and safety programs, and in its investment in training and employment opportunities to build social and economic prosperity in the region.