COVID-19 Reminders from Chief & Council
March 22, 2020
Funeral Services During COVID-19 Pandemic
March 24, 2020
Moose Cree First Nation Statement: Detour Lake Gold Mine and COVID-19
March 23, 2020
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak to be pandemic. Since that date this pandemic has caused increasing concern nationally and locally as it continues to spread. The Chief & Council of Moose Cree First Nation (MCFN) has been regularly discussing ways to mitigate the risks to our Membership and to our community, in consultation with the Community Pandemic Emergency Operations Team.
In November 2019. Kirkland Lake Gold (KLG) completed the purchase of Detour Gold. Over the past several days, the Chief & Council has held discussions with KLG on the risks relating to the continued operation of the Detour Lake gold mine. During a conference call on March 22, 2020, both MCFN and KLG finalized these discussions and mutually agreed that the best course of action is for operations to be temporarily reduced at the mine effective today, March 23, 2020.
All MCFN members employed at the Detour Lake gold mine will not be required to report to work during the period of reduced operations. However, they will still continue to receive the regular wages they would have earned during the first four weeks based on their regular shifts.
While there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the Detour Lake gold mine site, we strongly encourage all MCFN members employed there to self-quarantine for 14 days upon returning to Moose Factory, as a precaution. We also encourage those that reside elsewhere to take precautionary measures upon returning home.
We encourage MCFN members employed at the Detour Lake gold mine to use their normal lines of communication to discuss individual specifics with their supervisors at the mine.
The Chief & Council would like to thank KLG for taking these measures and demonstrating concern for MCFN members, and all their employees, working at the Detour Lake gold mine to address the risk presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
For further information or questions please contact:
John Rickard, Detour Lake Employment & Training Coordinator, MCFN
Mobile: 705.266.4194
Jeff Hunter, Executive Services Coordinator, MCFN
Mobile: 705.288.1163