Mining Economies: Inuit Business Development and Employment in the Eastern Subarctic

Abstract

The Northern Review 47 (2018): 59–78

The Raglan mine in Nunavik, in the province of Quebec, and Voisey’s Bay mine in Nunatsiavut, in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, are important drivers of economic development in their respective regions. Existing studies and data concerning the economic impacts of extractive industries are concentrated on the national or regional impacts, and do not assess the impacts on business and human development at the local and community level. The article analyzes the impacts of the Raglan Mine and the Voisey’s Bay Mine on business development and employment in Nunavik and Nunatsiavut respectively. The article presents the design, methodology, and results of a three-year study in which focus groups and surveys were conducted with business owners. We report on the views and experiences of business owners with respect to how mining has impacted local business development. We evaluate some community employment trends, identify policy insights, and recommend future research directions to improve the utilization of mining benefits by local Indigenous communities and Indigenous governments.