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05 January 2026
Above: The Inuit Mine Emergency Response Team Prep School prepares employees for Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission certification.
Industry Partner Spotlight
This story was provided by B2Gold, a CIM Industry Partner, and appears in the December 2025/January 2026 issue of CIM Magazine (view it in flip format here).
Investing in talent
B2Gold builds Kitikmeot Inuit training and employment opportunities at the Goose mine
At the Goose mine—Nunavut’s newest gold mine—B2Gold is committed to investing in talent and creating opportunities that last. Training, skills development and meaningful employment opportunities for Inuit across the Kitikmeot region of southwestern Nunavut are integral to the Goose mine’s operations. B2Gold believes that mining can be more than extraction: it can serve as a catalyst for socio-economic progress and empowerment for those wishing to grasp the opportunity.
One of B2Gold Nunavut’s flagship partnerships is with the Redfish Arts Society in Cambridge Bay. Together, they deliver a welding and industrial arts training program that blends creativity with technical expertise, opening doors to careers in Nunavut’s growing mineral development sector and beyond.
The Redfish Arts Studio—once a processing plant and now a thriving community hub—provides Inuit youth with an encouraging workshop environment where they can learn welding and practical industrial skills.
As students advance in the program, they transition into industry placements at the Goose mine, gaining on-the-job experience and mentorship. Past successes have shown that graduates of similar programs often secure full-time employment, demonstrating that hands-on training can change the trajectory of young lives.
In 2025, B2Gold Nunavut launched another initiative, the Inuit Mine Emergency Response Team (MERT) Prep School—the first program of its kind in Nunavut. Designed to prepare interested Kitikmeot Inuit employees for Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission certification, the program helps participants build the skills required for mine rescue.
The certification is demanding, requiring mastery of complex theory from the Western Canada Mine Rescue Manual, four days of intensive training and successful completion of both practical and written exams.
The MERT Prep School, designed by B2Gold’s Emergency Response Team coordinators, breaks down the material into manageable steps. It incorporates culturally relevant guidance and a supportive learning environment that builds both skill and confidence. Several Inuit employees have already graduated, achieving dual certification in surface and underground rescue.
This initiative is more than training—it is about building capacity, enhancing workplace safety, and represents a key step towards ensuring Inuit employees have every opportunity to succeed in technical, specialized roles within the mining industry, while providing valuable skills that can be applied both on site and back in communities across Nunavut.
B2Gold’s commitment to skills development also focuses on the talent pipeline. Through the Young Mining Professionals Scholarship Fund, B2Gold supports the next generation of mining professionals across Canada.
With over $200,000 awarded annually, the fund provides scholarships to students enrolled in earth sciences and mining-related programs. B2Gold proudly sponsored two dedicated awards in 2025: the B2Gold Indigenous Student in Exploration/Mining Scholarship and the B2Gold Women in Mining Scholarship.
The impact of these awards is already clear. In 2024, a Mi’kmaq geology student won the B2Gold Indigenous Mining/Exploration Scholarship. The student was driven by a belief in STEM—and geology in particular—as a tool for empowerment within Indigenous communities. Her vision is to become one of the few Indigenous mining operators, bridging the gap between Indigenous communities and the mining industry, and inspiring future Indigenous students to see geology as a pathway to autonomy and opportunity.
B2Gold Nunavut also helps reduce financial barriers to post-secondary education through its Inuit Post-Secondary Application Fee Program, which funds application costs to post-secondary institutions for Kitikmeot Inuit residents. Achievement awards are also sponsored in all Kitikmeot community junior-high and high schools to recognize student commitment and promote post-secondary education.
Now that the Goose mine has moved into commercial production, B2Gold is ensuring that Inuit talent is not only represented but also leading the way. By combining skills training, scholarships, mentorship and industry experience, B2Gold is investing in people, in creating opportunities that are inclusive, empowering and transformative, and in shaping a mining industry that reflects the values and aspirations of the communities where it operates.
