Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in and Goldcorp Sign Collaboration Agreement

Goldcorp and Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in (“TH”) announced on April 30 that the parties have entered into a Collaboration Agreement (the “Agreement”) relating to the Coffee gold project. The Agreement represents a significant milestone towards building a long-term relationship between Goldcorp and TH and is a critical step towards delivering economic opportunities for TH and its citizens through the development of the Coffee gold project in the Yukon. In addition to employment, contracting, training and skills-development initiatives, the Agreement outlines environmental protection commitments that combine traditional knowledge and modern technologies for the Coffee gold project. The Agreement is one of many First Nation partnerships for Goldcorp across the Canadian landscape and the first for the Company in the Yukon. A signing ceremony took place on April 30 in Dawson City, Yukon.

“The completion of this Agreement is a testament to our commitment to building strong, collaborative relationships based on open, honest communication and will lay a solid foundation for our ongoing partnership in TH’s traditional territory”, said David Garofalo, President and CEO of Goldcorp. “Through strong collaboration, mutual commitments and respect for each other, together, we can create shared value with mutual benefits through all stages of Coffee’s mine life.”

“It took a significant amount of effort by TH and our citizens to achieve the agreement we have today. Our discussions went back several years, including workshops and many meetings throughout the exploration, feasibility, pre-YESAB and post YESAB review stages”, said Roberta Joseph, Chief of Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in. “Our collaborative agreement provides for economic opportunities for TH, ensures we will be able to take the necessary steps with Goldcorp to protect the environment and establishes a solid relationship which addresses the values of our Treaty Rights and community recommendations, all of which taken together provides TH and Goldcorp with the certainty we each need for the project to move forward. We’re very pleased and we look forward to working with Goldcorp throughout the life of the project.”

Through consultation with the TH government and citizens, priorities were determined, and as a result, the Collaboration Agreement includes measurable benefits for TH citizens, including business development opportunities, sustainable solutions, regulatory permitting consultation and future financial contributions.

“We are incredibly pleased to see the Coffee gold project take this important step forward. Finalizing a Collaboration Agreement like this is no small feat, and speaks to the hard work, dedication and focus of so many that have worked on this project since its inception.”, said Premier Sandy Silver “I am more than impressed by the way Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in and Goldcorp have come together around these wide-ranging social, economic and environmental priorities. It’s a shining example of what Umbrella Final Agreement implementation can look like when we unite to create a more prosperous future in Yukon.”

The Coffee gold project is a high-grade potential open pit and heap leach development project that has the potential to grow into a large district-scale operation. Production is expected in 2021.

Watch David Garofalo’s interview on BNN Bloomberg following the announcement of the Agreement to hear more on this important milestone for the Coffee project.