TIMMINS - Youth have a bright future at a gold mine south of Timmins.
With IAMGOLD looking to invest in community and education, Bryan Wilson, the general manager of its Côté Gold site near Gogama, says education in the trades is the ticket for Timmins.
“We’ll keep working with Timmins, it’s a mining mecca,” said Wilson, at the Timmins Chamber's state of mining event today (Jan. 15).
Situated halfway between Timmins and Sudbury, the open-pit mine went into commercial production in 2024.
Focusing on autonomous trucks on-site at Côté Gold gives some exciting changes to the industry and the skills needed to thrive there.
“Over the last six years, there’s been a big push in educating kids in terms of trades in mining,” he said. “We’re helping educate our educators to really promote mining and some of the cool stuff we’re doing in the mining industry.”
IAMGOLD CEO and president Reaud Adams sees a bright future for the city, and as the site stabilizes and profits start coming in, he hopes the IAMGOLD name will be very visible.
“There is a lot of room here to keep growing more locally,” he said. “I think we have a much better understanding of the capacity in the region, and now we’re established.”
While there are no specifics on what that engagement will look like, Adams said he can see many ways to get involved in Timmins.
“The biggest change will be in our presence in the community,” said Adams. “We want to share more, we want to be more present, we want to help. If there is one thing beyond employment, I think you will see IAMGOLD more and more present in the community and being a good citizen.”
Support for programs like Jill of All Trades, which introduces girls in high school to hands-on experience with trades and the careers they can build there, as well as Wilson’s work with Teachers in Mining tours, the support for future tradespeople is an important part of the company’s message.
Wilson added that heavy duty mechanics, electric trades, HVAC trades and many more roles are in high demand.
He has worked with local educators throughout Northern Ontario over the last year to make sure high school students know what options are available to them in trades.
“It’s easier to keep our kids in Northern Ontario if they know there are jobs here, and there’s high tech jobs, it’s super cool,” said Wilson. “When you’re talking about flying drones, working on autonomous equipment, it’s very cool.”
