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In a follow-up to the establishment of the De Beers Canada Operational Support Centre at Calgary International Airport (YYC) last July, De Beers Canada and the Calgary Airport Authority have announced that De Beers’ Alberta-based employee charter flights will relocate to YYC beginning July 18, 2017.
The twice-weekly employee charter flights currently originating from a private terminal in Edmonton will fly out of YYC’s Domestic Terminal, Concourse B providing De Beers employees flying to and from Gahcho Kué, the world’s largest new diamond mine, located in the Northwest Territories, streamlined access to connecting commercial flights across Canada and around the world.
De Beers Canada CEO Kim Truter says this latest initiative has been under development since the company’s move to Calgary last year and enhances De Beers’ operational excellence and strategic approach to remote mining challenges companies face today.
“Moving to the Calgary Airport last July to be closer to our activities in the Northwest Territories allowed us to position our Operational Support Centre in such a way that our Calgary-based employees could have seamless access to the world’s largest new diamond mine, which opened last September, as well as our Victor Mine in northern Ontario and our exploration and project initiatives across Canada,” said Truter. “It also provides our De Beers global colleagues visiting Canada better access to our De Beers Canada team and the Gahcho Kué Mine as well.”
“YYC Calgary International Airport’s infrastructure and ability to handle workforce charters has provided us with the opportunity to strengthen our partnership with De Beers,” said Bob Sartor, president and chief executive officer for the Calgary Airport Authority. “The move not only allows for a more seamless operation out of YYC for De Beers, but allows their employees to take advantage of our extensive domestic route network, which we continue to grow with our airport partners.”
The direct employee charter flights will fly to and from Gahcho Kué Mine twice a week, carrying De Beers and contractor employees who do not live in the Northwest Territories. The service will be carried out by Yellowknife-based Summit Air, using its fleet of Calgary-based passenger jet aircraft.
Approximately 150 mine-based employees will fly in and out of YYC each week once the service begins, while De Beers Calgary-based operational support staff of approximately 68 people will regularly use the flights to Gahcho Kué, which is 1,401 kilometres from Calgary.
The De Beers employee flights will use a check-in counter in the Domestic Terminal at YYC and take off and arrive out of Concourse B.
De Beers Canada established its Canadian Operational Support Centre at YYC Calgary International Airport, officially opening the office in the Airport Corporate Centre on July 8, 2016.
The Gahcho Kué Mine in the Northwest Territories is a joint venture between De Beers Canada (51 per cent), the operator, and Mountain Province Diamonds (49 per cent). De Beers Canada is a 100 per cent owner and operator of the Victor Mine in northern Ontario, the Mining Magazine 2009 International Mine of the Year and the 2015 National John T. Ryan Award winner for Mine Safety. De Beers Canada is also a 100 per cent owner of the Snap Lake Mine in the Northwest Territories, which is currently in care and maintenance.
