| The BHP Billiton – Government of the Northwest Territories Socio-Economic Agreement (the Agreement) was signed by BHP Billiton and the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) in October 1996. It acknowledges the potential impact of the Ekati Mine Project on local communities. The objective of the Agreement is to promote the development and well-being of the residents of the Northwest Territories (NWT), and in particular, those in the mine's neighbouring communities.
The central objective of the Agreement is to monitor the socio-economic effects of the Mine Project, and to promote social, cultural and economic well-being.
The Parties to the Agreement agree to minimise any adverse impacts of the Mine Project on NWT communities. The GNWT is responsible for the creation and operation of an industrial monitoring program. The program will use public statistics and surveys conducted with mine employees to determine the impacts of the project both on individuals’ lives and on the community. The results are to be published in an annual report. Similarly, BHP Billiton is to issue its own annual report of business and employment opportunities. Parties are required to consult with local communities in order to mitigate any negative impacts, and to identify the ways in which increased benefits might be produced.
The Parties are to use 14 indicators for health and well-being in order to assess the project’s impact. These include such things as crime levels, numbers of injuries, suicides, complaints of family violence, housing indicators, income levels, educational outcomes, employment levels and social assistance cases. BHP Billiton is required to collect attitudinal survey data from its employees. The survey and the indicators are to be included in the GNWT’s annual report. |
