NunatuKavut Community Council (NCC) and Nalcor Energy announced yesterday the signing of a Community Development Agreement (CDA) following months of negotiation.
According to a NunatuKavut press release, it is a meaningful and significant agreement that sets the foundation for a mutually beneficial relationship between both parties.
The CDA will provide tangible benefits to Southern Inuit and communities throughout NunatuKavut.
It is a six-year agreement that contains provisions which foster respectful engagement on a number of issues, which includes:
Direct investment into community capacity and sustainability.
Environmental-related monitoring, reporting and migration with respect to the Muskrat Falls Project and the Labrador Transmission Project, as well as the inclusion of NCC Indigenous Traditional Knowledge.
An obligation to negotiate on future Nalcor Projects in Labrador, and initiatives for renewable energy generation.
Work place environment and cultural accommodations, and training, employment, and business opportunities.
According to the NCC release, this relationship-building agreement will ensure that NCC and Nalcor will engage in good faith negotiations moving forward.
It was signed by NCC President Todd Russell and Nalcor CEO Stan Marshall during a meeting last week, and came into effect on December 1, 2017.