The social impacts of mining in northern Canada: Contemporary manifestations of an enduring challenge

Abstract

Expectations for substantial escalation in mining activities around the globe revitalize concerns about the impacts of mining, and persistent challenges associated with anticipating and mediating those impacts. This is particularly so given that many mineral reserves are in remote locations that are ecologically and culturally sensitive. Northern Canada describes such a place, with a long history of mining, most of which entails disruptions to sensitive Arctic and subarctic landscapes, and incursions onto Indigenous lands. Today, these same lands are simultaneously highly exposed to the impacts of anthropogenic climate change, which may exacerbate the impacts of industrial development. This paper presents the results of a study conducted in collaboration with the Tłı̨chǫ Nation of northern Canada to capture the different forms of enduring social impact due to mining in the region, their potential intersection with emerging impacts of climate change, and prospects for the future of this and other northern Indigenous communities whose lands intersect with mineral reserves.