Community Consultation Assessment & Communications Plan
for
Mineral Sands Exploration Project
Lower Churchill River
Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada

INTRODUCTION

Markland Resource Development Inc. (Markland) is currently undertaking a mineral exploration program in the mineral sands deposit located in the Lower Churchill River, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada. In order to complete a feasibility assessment of the potential program development, advanced exploration program is required. Markland understands that maintaining compliance with current legislation and guidelines, as well as interacting with stakeholders prior to the initiation of advanced exploration, is essential to the sustainable undertaking of the project. Markland wishes to foster cooperation with the local community and ensure that mechanisms are in place to address stakeholder concerns, participation, and issues.

Melinda Clendenan and Associates (MCA) Environmental Management, in conjunction with the Human Environment Group (HEG), was retained by Markland to undertake a preliminary assessment of community-related issues and stakeholders in the subject area and to complete a comprehensive stakeholder communication plan. The purpose of the plan is to assist Markland in the development of a strategy to effectively identify and communicate with local stakeholders who may have an interest in the proposed mineral extraction project.

Through the early identification of, and communication with, the various stakeholders, Markland is demonstrating a commitment to anticipate and develop successful approaches in addressing community concerns.

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METHODOLOGY

The key steps to the development of the overall communication strategy included:

•  Visit to the Lower Churchill River area in July, 2004
•  Identification of stakeholders
•  Ongoing communication with stakeholders
•  Capturing stakeholder concerns, issues, and capacity to provide resources or employees
•  Provision of documentation on how concerns, issues and capacity have been addressed. This is an ongoing process and this information will be included in reporting to government or feedback to stakeholders.

The project outlined above was undertaken in two phases.

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PHASE 1

MCA conducted a virtual meeting with Markland's personnel to discuss existing community contacts and/or relations and the extent of past and current local involvement. MCA documented and recorded all communications and contacts. MCA used information obtained from Markland to assess opportunities for additional community involvement and to strategize an initial communication plan for other communities that may have an interest in the development.

MCA also defined a radius of communication with local communities to ensure that all traditional territories were considered. An evaluation of the inclusion of Innu, Inuit, Métis and non-native residents, to determine their land uses and the level of involvement they should have in the process, was also conducted during the program.

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PHASE 2

HEG undertook a visit to the project area to meet with various stakeholders and communities, such as Sheshatshit , North West River, and Mud Lake , to assess options for communication with each group.

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OBJECTIVES

The primary objectives of the preliminary community consultation program are as follows.

•  Reinforced and/or introduced Markland Resources' presence in the area
•  Obtained contacts with a range of community members who use the land.
•  Requested advice on suitable consultation and involvement approaches from each of the communities so that they can determine how they want to be included.
•  Obtained direction on communication protocols
•  Identified community issues, challenges, and aspirations
•  Expanded familiarity with local politics and community priorities
•  Reviewed existing community communication processes
•  Assessed current resource use in the area
•  Requested advice on the most effective manner of consulting with Elders

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BACKGROUND OF PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS

Provincial and Federal regulatory agencies typically require (in most regulatory exercises) the acknowledgement of stakeholders' concerns and the incorporation of these concerns into the project operations and design. In addition, as a key component of regulatory processes, there is often a need to assess the environmental effects, including economic and social impacts, of a project.

Tracking participation of stakeholders in terms of communication methods, issues raised and commitments made, and incorporation of this information into project design and/or activities, has been initiated by Markland and will assist them in maintaining the positive momentum already established by them in the local community and in meeting regulatory objectives.

As the project moves through the regulatory process, more specific communication efforts will be undertaken. Markland will be flexible on how they approach their communications with each stakeholder to maximize stakeholder consultation and will be prepared to place more or less emphasis on various interests. Documentation of stakeholders in an electronic database has been initiated and enables Markland to track all communication efforts while providing a necessary foundation of information. Further details regarding the stakeholder database are provided in section 4.0.

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SPECTRUM OF PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

A proponent can choose from a spectrum of involvement and interaction with the stakeholders identified. The level of involvement each stakeholder has in a project varies with the level of interest, proximity, or impact they may experience. As such, there exists a spectrum of options for communication with each stakeholder. As a result, one communications plan may not suffice for all stakeholders. For instance, information may be all that is required for a community in the general area of a development, while collaboration may be required for a community with a proposed development in their specific area.

The spectrum of involvement outlined here is based upon the Principles of Public Participation in the Development of Resource Projects (from IAP2.com)

Ultimately, it will be the regulator who reinforces the level of communication or consultation to be employed on a project-specific basis. As a starting point, however, minimums need be assumed on behalf of the proponent. Experience indicates that, based on the type of project, the proximity of the stakeholders, and the perceived low and temporary level of disturbance expected, an information program for local stakeholders should suffice. Specific suggestions on potential information strategies, which will be considered with respect to the various stakeholders, are detailed in later sections.

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STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATION

Public participation is a cornerstone of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) and various other provincial environmental impact assessment regimes. Documentation of public participation, communication and stakeholder concerns are often required for the purposes of meeting regulatory requirements. Regulators want to see how community concerns were identified and addressed by the proponent.

As mentioned previously, stakeholder information has been entered into an Excel database spreadsheet, and will be routinely updated during the progress of the program, to maintain current information. Key communication, contact names, and interests of various stakeholders along the Lower Churchill River in the study area, including aboriginal groups, are contained in the stakeholder database. A copy of the current database, including contacts recorded during the July 2004 area visit, is presented in Appendix A.

The Stakeholder database forms the foundation required to track communication, issues, and follow-up with identified stakeholders during the course of the project. This database is constantly evolving and ensures that all communications and meeting results are collected, compiled and, therefore, documented.

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EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS

Markland has established a long history of communication and involvement with many of the local stakeholders and community members, including the local Innu Nation of Labrador , Inuit, Métis, non-aboriginal members of the community, and various regulators and non­governmental organizations. As well, Markland has supported the local economy and community during all phases of their exploration program to date. During the recently completed environmental data collection program, conducted by Markland in July 2004, several members of the local community were involved in a program of technology transfer and capacity-building. In addition, several field staff from the community has been employed by Markland during the Winter 2004/2005 sampling program. Markland's intent is to develop positive local business relationships at the earliest planning stages of the project to demonstrate to the local community that they are valued partners in the development.

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AREA VISIT, JULY 2004

In late July, 2004 Paul McLauchlin, P.Biol of the Human Environment Group (HEG) (an associate of MCA Environmental Management) undertook Phase 2 of the scope of work and completed a site visit to the project area in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador . The purpose of the visit was to initiate/enhance communication with local stakeholders and to complete the remaining objectives as previously identified. A summary of stakeholders contacted on behalf of Markland during this period is presented in Appendix A

In general, all of the organizations contacted during the community visit were pleased to see early communication coming from Markland. There was a great deal of interest in future opportunities for local businesses and employment. For more detailed information specific to each stakeholder, the reader is asked to refer to the appended database.

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STAKEHOLDER DATABASE

The database contains the following categories of stakeholders contacted during the area visit conducted in July 2004.

• Non-government organizations (NGOs) and Special Interest Groups

o Friends of the Grand River
o Institute for Environmental Monitoring and Research
o Labrador Winter Trails
o Grand River Snowmobile Club

• *Aboriginal

o Innu Nation
o Labrador Inuit Association
o Métis Development Corporation

• Private Sector businesses

o Black Spruce Chalet
o * Campbell Adventure Tours
o Inukshuk Services
o * Churchill Falls Tours
o * Outfitters
o *Grand River Canoe Company
o *T & R Marina
o Labrador North Chamber of Commerce

•  Government

o *Department of Environment and Conservation
o *Department of Fisheries and Oceans
o Parks Canada
o Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay
o *5 Wing – Dept of National Defence
o Central Labrador Economic Development Board

• Residences

o *Cabin owners on the Lower Churchill River
o Town of Happy Valley – Goose Bay o * Mud Lake

• Sources of information and communication

o Media
o Human Resources Development Canada
o Them Days – regional historical group

Those stakeholders with an asterisk denote those identified as key stakeholders based on their land use activities, including recreational or business and or proximity to the river. Detailed information for each of the groups is provided under various headings in the database to ensure that all ongoing communication and relevant information is documented and updated.

Key stakeholders require more in-depth communication and documentation of their concerns than others. As the project moves through the environmental regulatory process and feasibility assessment, additional technical and regulatory information will be available for sharing with stakeholders, as required.

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POTENTIAL ISSUES

For the most part, the stakeholders who have been contacted are interested in employment and business opportunities as they relate to the proposed development and we anticipate the same from other stakeholders. Other potential issues identified by Markland that may be expressed by various stakeholders and which may require further discussion and/or mitigative strategies include:

•  Aesthetic impacts
•  Noise
•  Effects on tourism due to the above items
•  Boat travel (access, past operations etc…)

Additional programs to address other key potential issues were conducted during the 2004/2005 period. These programs are summarized below for information purposes only:

•  A targeted aquatic environment assessment, documented in the report entitled Lower Churchill River Downstream from Muskrat Island Aquatic Baseline Study, November 2004, conducted by EVS-Golder on behalf of Markland Resource Development Inc., during the Summer 2004.

•  A targeted sediment and surface water quality program, entitled Preliminary Surface Water and Sediment Sampling Program, July 2004, on behalf of Markland Resource Development Inc., conducted along the Lower Churchill River within the project area.

•  An assessment of potential historical and archaeological resources, as documented in the report entitled An Archaeological Assessment of Churchill Sediments, Churchill River, Central Labrador, prepared by Black Spruce Heritage Services on behalf of Markland Resource Development Inc., April 2005.

As the potential interruption of river activities associated with the proposed extraction program is has yet to be determined however, it expected that mitigative strategies to address them will be developed and discussed with the stakeholders. Effective early and continuous communication with stakeholders has been identified by Markland as the key to maintaining positive relationships and reducing potential impacts associated with the program. Various communication approaches to disseminating information relating to the identified potential issues, including newsletters, public meetings or other forms of communication, will be considered by Markland during the duration of the program.

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DATABASE MANAGEMENT

In order to maintain an accurate record of all stakeholder communication, issues and concerns, Markland will ensure that the database will reside in the care and control of the designated data manager to reduce redundancy and increase accuracy. Efforts will be made to circulate updated versions of the database to the project team as required and ensure changes are made by one individual or organization only.

A detailed list of residents who live along the River in the Happy Valley–Goose Bay area was provided by the town. Due to the extensive nature of the list, individual residents were not included in the database but have been provided to Markland. The newsletters are to be mailed out, an administrative assistant will complete the data entry of residential addresses in an economic manner. This will facilitate the generation of electronic mailing labels for future newsletters.

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THE COMMUNICATION PLAN

Based on the preliminary meetings with various stakeholders, we have formulated a general communication plan for Markland. First and foremost, however, the care and management of the database will be assigned to ensure it is updated. Markland Ltd. will maintain this database in house with support from MCA.

The communication strategy focuses on the provision of general information to the local community and key stakeholders as early as possible in each stage of the project. The following points provide a general overview of the strategy.

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THE PROCESS

The first task will confirm regulatory requirements for communication with local organizations to ensure that minimum requirements are met. Pending receipt of comment from regulatory representatives, we recommend the following action steps.

Step 1: Meetings and or phone calls followed by newsletters

This step will be directed to all the “key” stakeholders indicated in the database, including aboriginal organizations, and possibly some private businesses on the river. As previously presented, this database will be an evolving document and new interested parties will be added as they are identified. It is understood that Markland plans to organize a public information session in 2005 to discuss program development and other initiatives in the area.

Purpose

Discuss project activities with these parties and identify specific concerns that may need to be addressed.

Result

Document concerns and expectations along with any commitments to mitigate concerns.

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5.1.2 Step 2: Information Dissemination: Development of Newsletters

One recommended approach to encourage effective communication during the project is the development of a series of newsletters to provide more detail as the project advances. Suggestions for content include following.

•  Project description
•  Phases of regulatory approval, and current stage
•  Proposed phases of development
•  Location of project activities (either graphically depicted or explained)
•  Project contacts (perhaps e-mail and phone number of a designated contact)
•  Future Newsletter topics (if any)
•  What the pilot project may look like visually (photo of similar operations)
•  Benefits of the project to the local economy or region
•  Job opportunities
•  Explanation of anticipated environmental effects and significance

The level of project detail provided in newsletter will be dictated by a variety of factors including the stage that the project is at in the regulatory process. We anticipate that, as the project progresses through approvals and exploration, more detailed information will be provided.

Purpose

The newsletter will be designed to inform and also to allow the opportunity for feedback from the community. The newsletter will also highlight the benefits to the region in the form of employment opportunities and capacity building opportunities. The newsletter will be mailed or delivered to the key stakeholders and other interested parties as they become identified.

Result

Create an open communication with the stakeholders and develop a sense of confidence and understanding around the development.

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Step 3: Placement of Information in the Public Forum: Newspapers etc.

If appropriate, a simple newspaper ad for the general public could be placed in the local paper, such as the Labradorian.

Purpose

To ensure all stakeholders are notified of the development.

Result

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GENERAL COMMUNICATION WITH ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES

Due to the acknowledgement of the unique rights of aboriginal people under various treaties and government agreements, there is a specific requirement to ensure these rights are considered. There are three main aboriginal organizations that represent the interests of local aboriginal communities.

•  Labrador Métis Nation and the Labrador Métis Development Corporation
•  Innu Nation
•  Labrador Inuit Association

Each Nation is represented in Labrador and all have varying interests on the Lower Churchill River . All groups are represented in the town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay and have members in the community.

Arranging personal meetings prior to the delivery of a newsletter with all three nations is considered the most effective approach to disseminating program information. Markland has initiated contact and discussion with these communities in order to advise of program progress and future initiatives. Additional consultation initiatives will likely include:

•  Consultation with the elders through a translator,
•  Consultation with local hunters and gatherers and other resource-based land users, and
•  Translation of written documentation into the appropriate aboriginal languages.

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FREQUENCY AND DEGREE OF CONSULTATION

Once the registration document is submitted, it is considered public information and can be accessed by the public and non-government organisations (NGO). Any feedback from NGO's or local stakeholders highlighting land use conflicts, issues, or concerns will be recorded and a response formulated from Markland. MCA will be available to assist with the documentation of stakeholder concerns in the database and the formulation of a suitable response for Markland's consideration.

As mentioned previously, the stakeholder database will be continuously updated and modified as new information comes available. The initial communication plan identifies a strong starting point for communication that will be ongoing. All subsequent meetings, new issues or stakeholders, will be recorded to document initiatives and demonstrate due diligence to both the stakeholders and regulators.

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LOCAL WORKFORCE AND EMPLOYABILITY

Although a full socio-economic assessment has not been completed to date by the project team, it is understood that related work has been recently conducted in association with the proposed development of the Lower Churchill Hydro-Electric Generating Facility. However, as this information is not currently available to public access, other sources of information were accessed to formulate an understanding of the local workforce. The various aboriginal organizations, and the Labrador Chamber of Commerce, have indicated that there are a wide range of local services and expertise available to work with Markland during both the exploration and the development phases of the proposed work program. To date, Markland has encouraged the employment of local community members from a diverse background and will continue this approach. Several groups, including Inuksuk Services and Minaskuat Environmental has, to date, been successfully employed by Markland.

Early communication with the CFB Goose Bay Airforce, Mr. Silas Bird - liaison officer, suggests that the base will be decommissioned in the future. This may effect local employment by creating more available workers.

All organizations contacted in the preliminary stages were enthusiastic about the direct and indirect future business and employment opportunities with Markland.

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Appendix A Contact Database

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Appendix B Community Information Resource Contacts

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