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Northern Mines Monitoring Secretariat
(NMMS)
The NMMS is a Saskatchewan provincial agency dedicated to acquiring and
disseminating information about Saskatchewan's uranium mining industry,
and coordinating the activities of the Environmental Quality Committees.
There is membership from every provincial department with a role in the
uranium mining industry, as well as from several federal departments. Saskatchewan
Northern Affairs chairs the committee, which meets twice a year.
The Northern Mines Monitoring Secretariat (NMMS) was established in 1994
by the provincial government in response to the 1993 recommendations of
the Joint Federal-Provincial Panel on Uranium Mining Developments in Northern
Saskatchewan. Three regionally-based Environmental Quality Committees (EQC),
supported by the Secretariat, were then established in 1995.
The Panel recognized the need for the people of Saskatchewan to be reassured
that the mines are operating in compliance with all regulations and that
northern economic benefits are improved through appropriate hiring practices
and policies related to business opportunities. Through the EQCs, mining
companies can better inform northern communities about their projects,
hear comments from northerners about their performance, and more effectively
respond to northerners' concerns. The EQCs are a bridge between northern
communities, government and the uranium industry.
The NMMS serves as the administrative support structure for the EQCs, helping
coordinate meetings and workshops, and providing information, coordination
and communication services. The NMMS includes representatives from all
provincial departments with roles relating to the uranium industry.
Roles and Responsibilities