Making an old diamond mine shine again
The De Beers group opened a $2 billion diamond mine in Ontario's far north in 2008 and wrapped up production in 2019.
But the company is still working hard on the rehabilitation part of the Victor Mine closure process.
Once employing as many as 500 people to take rocks out of the ground, today around 90 are working to put the land back together.
“We want to put it as close to the natural state that it was,” said Erik Madsen, head of corporate affairs for De Beers Canada.
The company told the Timmins business community that the central facility is demolished, hundreds of hectares of land seeded and the open pit has been turned into a lake.
Madsen said De Beers worked with area First Nations to reclaim the land and will ensure it's returned as close to its original state as possible.
"We're going to be around until 2039, so there's going to be requirements to go back, do some water quality monitoring, do some wildlife monitoring, checking on vegetation, all that,” he said.
“So we will work with them to develop a monitoring program, so that they will be involved for those years to come."
The company reflected on the mine's economic benefit to the region. Businesses sprouted and expanded to meet the demands of diamond mining.
It also supported First Nation-owned businesses like Attawapiskat Enterprises, which was its exclusive catering and security provider.
"It gave us an excellent opportunity to have job opportunities,” said Melissa Regan of Attawapiskat Enterprises.
“We trained, educated a lot of First Nation members to be able to offer them employment at the Victor Mine."
Timmins Mayor Michelle Boileau said the mine is still having an impact.
"The legacy of the Victor Mine and everything that it brought to the regional economy will continue on, over the next few years,” Boileau said.
“It really helped shape some of the businesses now that are servicing other mining operations in the region."
The province's first and only diamond mine is expected to be fully closed ahead of schedule this fall, although De Beers may not be done with diamond mining in the region.
Madsen said the company still holds rights to other deposits in the far north, but that it would need facilities with a smaller environmental and financial footprint.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.