Northern Mining Transit Center: gateway to the North for mine workers

The Abitibi-Témiscamingue region is both a centre of excellence in the mining sector and an important link in the supply chain for northern projects. In this regard, the Val-d’Or region is a gateway for workers and goods transiting to the coasts of James and Hudson bays. It is a junction point between road and air transport for food supplies in the North and in northern Quebec.

This particular context prompted the Corporation de développement industriel et commercial de la région de Val-d’Or to develop the Northern Mining Transit Center [Centre de transit minier nordique (CTMN)]. Located in a complex adjoining Val-d’Or airport, the Center meets the needs of mining companies and their suppliers who rely on air transport to cover the vast distances of the North. Barely two years after it opened, it is expanding to meet the ever-growing demand.

This strategic facility improves Abitibi-Témiscamingue’s ability to serve mining companies operating in the Far North, as far away as Nunavut, by using the Fly-in/fly-out method, whereby employees are flown in to a mining site for a given period of time and then flown out for a break period at home.

Abitibi-Témiscamingue has an influence on northern mining, especially through the presence of educational institutions like the Abitibi-Témiscamingue CEGEP, the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, the Centre national des mines of the Or-et-des-Bois school board and Natural Resources Canada’s CANMET Experimental Mine in Val-d’Or. Added to all these infrastructures are a wide variety of equipment manufacturers, parts distributors and service companies, including consulting engineering firms.

From single-industry to forwarder

“It is important to understand that mining developments are relatively recent in the Far North,” explained Transit Center President Pierre-Paul Gosselin. “We were used to seeing cities sprout up around a major industrial development, along with the ensuing consequences when the sector spawned experienced a slowdown. Val-d’Or was quick to seize the opportunity afforded by this new approach based on the transient nature of the workforce and goods. The Center is becoming a major asset.”

CTMN not only contributes to the vitality of the region, it is also instrumental in the growth and development of regional sources of mining goods and services. It directly supports the region’s mining economic base, generates direct and quantifiable economic benefits and, ultimately, makes users happy. These factors led to Canada Economic Development’s support, first for the Center’s construction, then for its expansion, which is just getting underway.

Once the expansion is complete, the Northern Mining Transit Center will be the largest integrated airport complex in the country. In addition to the rental of administrative and office space, the Center will boast a warehouse and facilities allowing for the efficient management of freight transit and passenger boarding services.

Furthermore, this expansion phase will include expanding the runway to accommodate three Boeing 737 aircraft. This work will span two to three years, a timeframe that will allow for normal airport operations as well as CTMN’s current activities.

Economic impact

The regional economic benefits of projects carried out by the Center’s mining company clients are estimated at $100 million annually. This evaluation is based on a projection of salaries and goods and services purchases for the various users targeted in Abitibi-Témiscamingue as a whole.

“We are delighted to be able to undertake the expansion of our facilities so soon,” said Mr. Gosselin. “Our rental spaces are all taken and we had to act fast to stay ahead of the curve.”

The Canadian mining industry makes an undeniable contribution to the country’s economy. According to a Report on the State of the Canadian Mining Industry published in 2010 by the Mining Association of Canada, in 2009, the industry employed 306,000 workers in mineral extraction and the value-added fields of smelting, processing and manufacturing.

Corporation de développement industriel et commercial de la région de Val-d’Or has been able to position itself against this favourable backdrop, going beyond the scope of its primary role as a manager of industrial sites. It has proven that a community can fill the shoes of promoters and visionaries in serving the public.