SASKATOON — Denison Mines Corp. continues its investment and project expansion in northern Saskatchewan, this time signing an impact benefit agreement with the Métis Nation–Saskatchewan on Thursday, Dec. 4. This partnership would move forward the Wheeler River Project.
MN–S President Glen McCallum and Denison Mines president and CEO David Cates led the signing, along with other executives from all involved parties, Brennan Merasty (MN–S Self Determination and Self Government and Justice Minister) and Laura Burnouf (MN–S Northern Region 1 director).
Other MN–S northern region directors, Métis elders and citizens, Denison Environment, Sustainability and Regulatory vice-president Janna Switzer, and sustainability director Carolanne Inglis-McQuay were also present to witness the signing, which sealed the partnership after six years of negotiations.
Cates said the agreement to develop the Wheeler River uranium mine is part of their response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action 92, Business and Reconciliation, which calls on Canada’s corporate sector to engage in economic cooperation with Indigenous communities.
CA 92 urges Canadian corporations to follow the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a foundation by committing to meaningful consultation, respectful relationships and obtaining free, prior and informed consent before any development on Indigenous lands.
It must also ensure Indigenous Peoples have fair access to jobs, training and education, and that their communities receive long-term, sustainable benefits from economic projects on their traditional lands and territories.
Businesses must also educate their leadership and staff on Indigenous history, rights, laws, treaties and the legacy of residential schools, supported by training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights and anti-racism.
Cates told SaskToday that Denison is investing more than $500 million in the project, based on an estimate completed in 2023, and that their operations will have a lower environmental impact in northern Saskatchewan.
“The project has been designed in a way to have truly minimal environmental impact. It uses a mining method called in-situ recovery, where we don't actually extract the rock that the Uranium is in, and so we don't generate conventional tailings,” said Cates.
In-situ recovery, or in-situ leaching, is a solution mining process that recovers minerals such as uranium through boreholes drilled in deposits. The leaching process artificially dissolves minerals, reducing environmental impact compared to traditional mining.
It minimizes disruption to the surface and waste rock. Still, the process poses primary risks of groundwater contamination from the leaching solutions, where it faces long-term restoration challenges, making it difficult to restore natural groundwater conditions.
Denison signed its second agreement in a week, after partnering with the Athabasca communities on the northern mining projects at Waterbury Lake, McClean Lake and Midwest, with the Nuhenéné Benefit Agreement on Monday, Dec. 1.
Denison’s agreement was between the Hatchet Lake Denesułiné First Nation, Black Lake Denesułiné First Nation, Fond du Lac Denesułiné First Nation, the hamlet of Stony Rapids, and the northern settlements of Uranium City, Wollaston Lake and Camsell Portage.
McCallum said their engagement with Denison accelerates development in northern Saskatchewan, and the MN–S’s direct involvement ensures benefits flow directly to Métis and Indigenous communities in the north, allowing them to participate in decision-making and capitalize on emerging opportunities.
“We’ve been talking for a few years about the engagement’s importance. Getting to this point of signing the agreement was something we looked forward to. I have a similar experience signing an agreement with Cameco, and to be able to get the benefits, like employment, is a big thing,” said McCallum.
He added that economic development and education are central to improving the lives of Métis citizens in the north and their communities. Agreements like this create many opportunities for people to access jobs, training, business opportunities and long-term prosperity.
