People and Communities
Chief Glenn Nolan, Past President of the PDAC, speaks at Avalon and the Northwest Territory Métis Nation’s Signing Ceremony in March 2014
“What Avalon has done very, very well is being able to sit and listen. It’s not always about the project…it is about the communities and the communities’ concerns.”
Avalon commits to engage early, engage often and engage throughout the life of the project, to establish relationships and trust. Respect and collaboration are key values when engaging with Avalon’s communities of interest, which include (but are not limited to) Aboriginal and local communities, government, NGOs, employees and suppliers. Avalon recognizes that these important groups are key to its success and are the most impacted by and able to benefit from Avalon’s performance. They can affect the permitting and financing processes, company reputation and social license to operate.
Avalon prioritizes local hiring and procurement at each of its project locations. Avalon has emphasized transparency when conducting community outreach to educate the general public, including government, about the risks and opportunities associated with its projects and critical raw materials. Read about Avalon’s developments in the company’s most recent Sustainability Report.
In March 2018, Avalon President & CEO, Don Bubar, was honoured to receive the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC)’s Distinguished Service Award for his work in Indigenous Engagement, including co-founding the Aboriginal Affairs committee at the PDAC annual convention.