Media Release: Groundbreaking Ceremony
- lands36
- Jul 17
- 3 min read
North Slave Métis Alliance’s Development Corporation Métcor Inc. and Funders Break Ground on François Beaulieu II Economic Development Facility
Media Release Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, July 16, 2025 — In preparation for the economic opportunities of the future, the North Slave Métis Alliance (NSMA) hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking for the François Beaulieu II Economic Development Facility (FBII) in Kam Lake yesterday, attended by funders, community members, and business partners.
FBII is an energy-efficient, multifunctional building featuring a lab, offices, garage bays, accommodations, equipment storage, a kitchen, and meeting areas, which will serve as the operations base for NSMA, its customers, and its partners. The lab will bring to the North environmental services that previously had to be sourced in the South.
The building’s name honours François Beaulieu II, known as the founding father of the Northwest Territories Métis. The FBII is expected to open in the summer of 2026. The project’s Architect is Vince Barter, Narrative Architects; the Builder is Brian Baggs, Horizon Builders; and the Project Advisor is David Connelly, Ile Royale Enterprises.
The groundbreaking ceremony included Métis fiddlers and a BBQ featuring Northern and traditional foods. The building’s funders were represented by a letter from CanNor’s Minister, read by the Emcee, and speakers from Rio Tinto’s Diavik Diamond Mine, the Government of the Northwest Territories, and the North Slave Métis Alliance.
“The NSMA is setting itself up for success as it prepares for the reduction in contracts, employment and revenue that will come with the planned closure of the diamond mines. This multi-purpose facility will enable the NSMA to transition towards environmental and remediation work. The facility will also enhance capacity for future business involvement with nation-building infrastructure projects, critical minerals, and defence. This is about creating benefits for current and future generations of the NSMA,” said Marc Whitford, President of North Slave Métis Alliance & Métcor Inc., NSMA’s business arm.
The Honourable Rebecca Chartrand, Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs and Minister Responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor), provided comments that: “The Francois Beaulieu II Complex will enhance the North Slave Métis Alliance’s capability to contribute to resource development in innovative ways, such as through remediation support and participation in critical mineral development. Through investments like this, our new government is supporting initiatives that generate meaningful economic benefits, support families, and help drive economic growth in the Northwest Territories, contributing to a stronger, more united Canadian economy.”
“The François Beaulieu II facility reflects the kind of vision and leadership that will shape the next chapter of the Northwest Territories’ economy. This groundbreaking is more than the start of construction—it signals momentum toward a new Northern economy, one built in partnership with Indigenous governments and grounded in reconciliation, sustainability, and shared opportunity.
As the world turns its attention to critical minerals, energy security, and nation-building infrastructure, projects like this remind us that the solutions are already here—and they’re being led by Northerners. I’m honoured to celebrate this important milestone with the North Slave Métis Alliance,” said the Hon. Caitlin Cleveland, Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, GNWT.
“Diavik’s contribution to this project is a reflection of our commitment to support the North Slave Métis Alliance as they broaden their economic development opportunities. The new facility represents more than just infrastructure—it’s an investment in people, skills, and long-term opportunities, to strengthen the future of the Northwest Territories. Our partnership with the NSMA spans many years, and as we look beyond the mine’s closure, this initiative is a natural extension of that partnership,” said Matthew Breen, Chief Operating Officer for Diavik Diamond Mine.
For further information, please contact:
Noah Johnson, General Manager, Métcor Environmental Inc.
David Connelly, Project Advisor to Métcor/NSMA
All photos provided by Bill Braden
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