In February 1995, the Raglan Agreement was signed between the operators of Raglan Mine, Makivvik Corporation, and the Inuit communities of Salluit and Kangiqsujuaq. It stands among Canada’s earliest “Impact Benefit Agreements” (IBAs) negotiated directly between a mining company and Inuit partners.

The Agreement was based on a recognition that mining activities in Nunavik require more than a permit, they require relationships built on trust, respect for Inuit culture, and shared responsibility. Key provisions included the preferential hiring of Inuit from the nearby communities, contracting opportunities for Inuit-owned businesses, and environmental monitoring with Inuit participation. Also written in was a profit-sharing mechanism and the establishment of a committee, half Inuit, half company representatives, to oversee the implementation of the Agreement.

Over the past three decades the Raglan Agreement has produced measurable outcomes:

• Inuit workers form a significant portion of the workforce.
• Inuit-owned businesses now provide about 25 per cent of the contracted services to the Mine, driving local economic growth within Nunavik.
• The Agreement’s influence has extended into community development, via scholarships, donations programs (like the Akkivik fund), training initiatives such as the Tamatumani, and long-term planning for mine closure and land reclamation.

This June, Makivvik President Pita Aatami and VP DEWR Adamie Delisle Alaku, along with other invited guests, attended an event at the mine, marking the anniversary.