A massive uranium project in northern Saskatchewan is energizing the job market for Indigenous communities in the area. Construction on the NexGen Energy Ltd. Rook I project officially broke ground on Thursday. Once complete, the underground uranium mine could become one of the largest in the world. Keith Shewchuk, Metis Local 39 president for La Loche, believes the mine will do more than just fuel Canada’s nuclear power aspirations. “It really brings a lot of hope and prosperity to our community,” he told CTV News. Around 300 employees work on-site right now and roughly 70 per cent of them come from northern Saskatchewan. During the construction phase, the number of jobs will more than triple. “They are not jobs, they are careers,” Shewchuk said. “Our youth and our next generation are going to have so much opportunity.” The mine is located in the Athabasca Basin, along Patterson Lake, around 150 kilometres north of La Loche. The site sits on traditional lands of four Indigenous communities: Birch Narrows Dene Nation, Buffalo River Dene Nation, Clearwater River Dene Nation and the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan. Shewchuk said his hometown and neighbouring communities have struggled with “very high unemployment rates” in the past. “Being this far in the north… a lot of our citizens were leaving to go to Fort McMurray and other industries just to be able to feed their families,” he said. Chantelle Herman, 22, who lives in La Loche, started as a summer co-ordinator for the Rook I project and eventually moved her way up to be a field technician. She said she never dreamed she would work at a mine one day. “Since it is so close to home, it is more accessible,” Herman said. “I see a lot of my family around here.” Others, like Arianna Desjarlais, thought they would have to move away from home to find a well-paying job. “Honestly, I thought I was going to have to go to Alberta (to find a job),” said Desjarlais, who just started as a geo technician at the mine this week. “I would like to (work) in this mine forever.” Job creation goes far beyond the mine, Shewchuk said. The uranium project has already created job opportunities and much-needed community infrastructure to accommodate for the increased activity the project is bringing to the area. NexGen, in partnership with local Indigenous groups, is helping build a hotel in La Loche. The hotel is expected to be complete next summer. NexGen also hired a Clearwater River Dene Nation business to crush gravel for the site, which employed around 50 locals. Community Elder Jimmy Montgrand said he is happy to see his people benefit from this mine, because that has not always been the case when projects come to northern Saskatchewan. “This is the first time a company chose to work with us and not avoid us, and work directly based on trust,” Montgrand told CTV News. A model project Leigh Curyer, NexGen Energy Ltd. founder and CEO, said he first reached out to Indigenous groups in the area more than a decade ago. “We have an enormous respect for everyone we impact,” he said. “There was some skepticism at the beginning, given past histories of other companies, but over time… the trust was built up.” Early on, some community members were hesitant about the project and the impact it could have on the land and animals. “Our people, our values, our culture and our traditions are really about protecting Mother Earth and the environment, Shewchuk said. “How do you find that balance? That was one of the challenges as a community leader.” NexGen has an environmental committee that locals are a part of, according to Curyer, which helps with transparency. “It is a model we developed, which we understand now is being replicated by other communities with resource projects throughout Canada,” Curyer said. Shewchuk said there will always be people who disagree with the mine, but most are excited for the opportunities it will bring. NexGen estimates the mine will generate an initial $32.5 billion in total economic impact for Saskatchewan during construction and initial operations. Construction is expected to last four years. Production is anticipated to begin by late 2030.
