NACG, Nuna to split $250M earthworks contract for Northern Ontario gold mine

The earthworks for a new gold mine in Northern Ontario will be built by a joint venture between North American Construction Group Ltd. (NACG) and the Nuna Group of Companies, NACG announced Oct. 22.

The Alberta-based heavy construction contractor disclosed few details about the project itself, but said the contract is worth more than $250 million. Construction is expected to take about two years, with work on the unnamed mine getting underway shortly, ramping up in early 2021 and reaching completion by fall 2022.

The two companies will spilt the contract evenly. NACG noted the joint venture benefitted during the bid process by “offering both an Indigenous contractor with extensive expertise in the harsh conditions of northern Canada together with the heavy equipment fleet and maintenance experience offered by NACG.” The Kitikmeot Inuit Association controls a 51 per cent stake in Nuna, with NAGC holding the remaining interest.

“The award of this project, a result of a strong and integrated effort with NACG, further solidifies our strategy of taking Nuna’s unique brand of remote project development and sustained Indigenous engagement to major clients in eastern Canada,” Miles Safranovich, Nuna’s president and CEO, said in a release.