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The NWT’s environment minister is now expected to make a decision on the future of the Environmental Monitoring Advisory Board, or Emab, by the end of this month.
The independent watchdog for Diavik was established as a requirement under the environmental agreement for the diamond mine, which is owned by Rio Tinto.
Matthew Breen, chief operating officer for Diavik, wrote to minister Jay Macdonald in January asking him to wind down Emab by the end of March 2026, as the mine began its closure phase. He gave a second option of March 31, 2027.
The board opposed that request, instead proposing a more gradual wind-down process that would see it continue operating through the mine’s closure and post-closure phases.
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The NWT’s Department of Environment and Climate Change initially told Cabin Radio that Macdonald was set to make a decision on Diavik’s request by June 26.
In a follow-up email on Monday, a spokesperson for the department said the deadline for the minister’s decision had been extended to July 31.
After the department received additional information from Diavik, the spokesperson said, the GNWT provided parties until June 16 to review that information and submit responses. The spokesperson said the department was currently reviewing that information.
Emab is made up of representatives from the parties to the environment agreement for Diavik.
Those include the NWT and Canadian governments, Diavik Diamond Mines Inc, the Tłı̨chǫ Government, Łútsël K’é Dene First Nation, Yellowknives Dene First Nation, North Slave Métis Alliance and Kitikmeot Inuit Association.
