Northern Sustainable Development

Diamond Mining: An Investigation of Socio-Economic Issues and Factors Affecting Aboriginal Community Well-Being

Report Summary

Table of Contents

Impact assessments are generally conducted prior to proposed development in order to assess, predict and mitigate the anticipated impacts on, and enhance potential benefits for, the environment, people and communities. Often governments and proponents are required to include follow-up work and assessments to determine the efficacy of proposed mitigation activities and expected benefits.  The BHP Billiton and Diavik Socio-Economic Monitoring Agreements (SEMAs) are examples of such required follow-up work.

These Agreements spell out the various roles and responsibilities that are required to permit the proposed developments. Specific targets were established and activities described to help achieve those targets. The agreements require both the Government of the Northwest Territories and proponents to prepare annual reports detailing results of the previous years activities.

These and other information demonstrate incredible socio-economic benefits accruing to northern communities from the diamond mining developments. Despite these remarkable economic benefits, there does not seem to be a corresponding improvement in community well-being. Evidence that does exist of community well-being in relation to diamond mining, such as from the Government of the Northwest Territories annual report and company information, fails to draw clear cause-effect linkages or indications of improvement.  Evidence appears to suggest a pervasive and persistent decline in community well-being.

This report investigated states and trends of Aboriginal community well-being affected by the new diamond industry, factors affecting Aboriginal community well-being, tools available to assess well-being, and northern projects affecting northern quality of life.  Gaps, challenges, future needs and research directions were identified.  Results demonstrated that conflicts between traditional/mixed/modern economies and their objectives exist, complex transformations are occurring in both the peoples and ecologies of the north, and much more attention should be directed to these ecological and human changes, especially within Aboriginal communities.

This 120 page report would be of interest to policy makers, academics, practitioners and communities, particularly Aboriginal communities, confronted by resource development and conflicting value pressures.