Mining, Inuit traditional activities and sustainable development: A study of the effects of winter shipping at the Voisey's Bay Nickel Mine

The need to incorporate the idea of sustainable development has become a component of any large-scale industrial project in recent times. The Voisey's Bay Nickel Mine (VBNM) Project, which began production in August 2005 and which currently has an operational life expectancy of 14 years, provided a case study example of how the costs and benefits of mining on communities can be anticipated and managed in the context of sustainable development. The specific focus of this research was to study the potential effects of the VBNM winter shipping route on the traditional activities of the Labrador Inuit. The study involved the compilation of background information from secondary sources and informal interviews with a number of key informants residing in three communities in Newfoundland and Labrador. The project determined that in the context of the sustainable development of VBNM winter shipping, Labrador Inuit traditional activities have been adequately addressed.