International Minerals Innovation Institute

The International Minerals Innovation Institute (IMII) today released the third in a series of videos highlighting innovative approaches in supporting diversity & inclusion in Saskatchewan’s minerals industry.

“The IMII has been fortunate to have both engaged member companies and capable partners in piloting new approaches to increasing the number of women and Indigenous people interested in careers in the minerals industry,” says Al Shpyth, IMII’s Executive Director. “From regional colleges with the Introduction to Mining program, to professional women in the Mine Your Potential mentoring program, to the Saskatchewan Mining Association (SMA) and Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC), among others, who made the boot camp featured in today’s video release happen.”

The SMA and STC Youth First Responder Boot Camp was also featured as a news item by the IMII in August (https://www.imii.ca/focus-on-indigenous-youth-sma-and-stc-youth-first-responder-boot-camp/).

IMII member companies are considering funding new projects arising from the three new Diversity & Inclusion Challenges released in the summer.  IMII’s Diversity & Inclusion Program is a minerals industry first – a series of diversity and inclusion challenges in which IMII has committed more than $1 million on behalf of its funding members to support demonstrations and pilot projects of new ways to attract, develop and retain Indigenous peoples and women in the minerals industry’s workforce.

Five challenges were released in 2017 and a further three in 2018 in support of IMII’s member companies commitment to having a diverse and inclusive workforce reflective of the communities in which they operate in Saskatchewan.