Building Active Allies in Mining

A course that began as a research project seeks to empower mining professionals to develop allyship skills and foster inclusivity

Published in CIM magazine

For the first 13 years of her career in the mining industry, Jocelyn Peltier-Huntley, a professional mechanical engineer, was often the only woman in the room. This stark reality sparked her growing awareness of the industry’s lack of diversity. According to “The Mining Story 2024: Canadian Mining Industry Facts and Figures,” a report released in June by the Mining Association of Canada, despite gradual progress over the last few years, women still make up less than 20 per cent of the workforce across all mining-related sectors. Canada’s most recent census data also revealed that women’s representation in mining has increased from 2011 to 2021, but women remain underrepresented at all stages of the mining process.

This ongoing gender disparity became a catalyst for Peltier-Huntley’s post-secondary research on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

As she completed her master’s degree, Peltier-Huntley was drawn to a 2020 research call from the International Minerals Innovation Institute (IMII), a non-profit organization funded by both the mining industry and  Saskatchewan government. The IMII sought research on EDI, prompting Peltier-Huntley to submit a proposal focused on interviewing equity champions and change agents, while testing solutions with students and the mining industry, which was accepted. This ultimately inspired her to create Active Allies, a short course designed to help mining professionals develop allyship skills and deepen their understanding of EDI.

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