Denison Signs Sustainable Communities Pact
Denison Mines Corp. has announced a new partnership with four municipalities in northern Saskatchewan: the Northern Village of Beauval, the Northern Village of Île-à-la Crosse, the Northern Hamlet of Jans Bay, and the Northern Hamlet of Cole Bay (collectively, the "Communities").
This agreement recognises the Communities' desire to collaborate on a regional plan for social, economic, and cultural renewal. Denison, committed to the sustainable development of its flagship Wheeler River project, aims to support this vision in two ways:
Empowering the Communities: By backing their initiatives and fostering capacity building, the agreement aims to create a lasting positive impact even after the project's lifespan.
Investing in the Future: Funding will be directed towards community development projects that promote long-term economic prosperity and sustainability. This includes areas like infrastructure, job creation and training, housing, and education.
Both parties share a common goal: ensuring local businesses and workers benefit from opportunities linked to the Wheeler River project. In exchange for supporting these community initiatives, the Communities have pledged their consent and ongoing support for the project throughout its lifecycle, from exploration to closure.
This partnership strengthens Denison's commitment to responsible development and positions the region for a brighter future.
Mayor of Beauval, Nick Daigneault, stated, "The Communities are very excited to enter into the Agreement with Denison, who fully understands our need to sustain our municipalities in Northern Saskatchewan for many years to come. Each of our communities has limited pools of money to tap into and there is only so much tax revenue our communities can garner to tackle both the communities' aging infrastructure as well as important community needs.
"By partnering with industry, our communities will be able to develop an additional fund that will grow over time and provide us with much-needed financial support to see community projects become a reality. Denison has stepped up to support our communities and I'm hopeful that the Agreement will lead the way as a shining example of how industry can work with our Northern Saskatchewan municipalities. We are grateful for the discussions we have had with Denison's leadership team and the fact that they share, and are excited about, our vision for prosperous and sustainable communities."
David Cates, President & CEO of Denison, further added, "This Agreement builds upon a foundation of trust and respect established between Denison and the municipalities of Beauval and Île-à-la Crosse with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in 2018 and 2017, respectively.
As Wheeler River has progressed over the last several years, we have listened to, understood, and responded to the interests of the Communities. This Agreement uniquely reflects the Communities' own vision for the industry to support a positive legacy of sustainable northern communities. We thank the Communities' leaders and constituents for their support and trust in Denison, and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship."
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Source: Denison
