Funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the overall objective of this workshop is to bring together industry, regulators, First Nations, and researchers every two years to foster discussions and understanding on how research on passive water treatment systems can help reach on further developing the use of these technologies in Yukon. As passive water treatment technologies are increasingly being considered as a part of mine site closure in Yukon, it is important for industry, government, First Nations, and regulators to share the questions and concerns they have. Efforts are currently underway by industry in partnership with the Industrial Research Chair in Mine Life Cycle at Yukon College to test passive water treatment technologies
The Passive Water Treatment Workshop offered in May of 2014 and 2016 provided the platform for face to face conversations and networking to help further relationships between the parties in attendance.
Additional objectives of this workshop were to:
- Provide knowledge training to participants on passive water treatment systems
- Identify gaps that remain for the promoting and understanding of passive water treatment technologies in Yukon
- Engage with First Nations, branches of government, academia, and industry to share research on passive water treatment systems and how they have been used in Yukon and other northern climates
To achieve these objectives, the Passive Water Treatment Workshop provided the platform for open communication between academia, industry, government and First Nations regarding passive water treatment research, allowing connections to be strengthened and the potential for collaboration to be increased. In addition, experts in passive water treatment systems have provided training sessions to help provide workshop participants with some key language, terminology and knowledge that would assist them in navigating and discussing information surrounding treatment systems throughout the workshop. The following day, the presentations and facilitated discussions provided an opportunity for industry, academia, First Nations, and government to come together and discuss projects using passive water treatment systems at Yukon mine sites.
With highly engaged people with varying background in attendance throughout the workshop, questions concerning the treatment itself, as well as future implementation plans in Yukon were able to be answered. The two workshops were held in 2014 and 2016 at Yukon College in Whitehorse, Yukon and there are plans for the next Passive Water Treatment Workshop to be held in 2018.