This November, we celebrated two years since the signing of the Cooperation Agreement between Stk’emlúpsemc te Secwépemc Nation (SSN) and New Afton. The teams from SSN and New Afton continue to work effectively together in implementing the commitments. The engagement structure as shown below provides a framework where participants contribute their ideas, expertise, and perspectives, ensuring a process where collaborative and cooperative conversations can occur to achieve shared goals.
Collaboratively designed with SSN, the engagement structure demonstrates New Afton’s ongoing commitment to participate in meaningful engagement, the importance of building respectful relationships, and aiming to obtain consent through the consent-based decision-making process. Further, the process seeks to understand what is important to our SSN communities, including culturally significant sites, how the rights and interests of our First Nations partners may be affected, and how to mitigate adverse impacts on those rights and interests.
Each table is co-chaired by both SSN and New Afton representatives and provides a venue for subject matter experts from the SSN, New Afton Mine, Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, and Skeetchestn Indian Band to collaborate on various initiatives. This year, in-person meetings have been occurring more frequently, as they have proven ideal for maintaining and enhancing relationships, as well as contributing to increased collaboration and productivity. Currently, each of the Joint Working Groups are working diligently to finalize Annual Plans for 2024 which are presented to the Mine Management Board for further discussion and final approval.
