A key component of BluMetric’s operational focus is delivering environmental services in northern and remote regions, including many Indigenous communities and territories where we have built trusted relationships over several decades to support sustainable, long-term outcomes.
BluMetric Environmental Inc. (BluMetric®) acknowledges the importance of our role in advancing reconciliation and sustaining respectful, transparent, and meaningful relationships with Indigenous Peoples and communities. Our approach is guided by BluMetric’s commitment to principles embedded in our by-laws, governance policies and employee behavior.
BluMetric Environmental Inc. respectfully acknowledges that our offices and operations across Canada are located on the traditional territories of Indigenous Peoples. From coast to coast to coast, we recognize and are grateful for the enduring presence, stewardship, and cultural heritage of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples, who have cared for these lands and waters since time immemorial.
BluMetric provides environmental services to communities across Canada, operating on these traditional territories of many distinct and diverse Indigenous Nations and is actively engaged in fostering respectful and collaborative partnerships with Indigenous communities, to meaningfully integrate Indigenous voices and work together toward environmental practices that honour Indigenous rights, cultures, and aspirations.
At BluMetric, we are proud of our long history of engaging with Indigenous communities across Canada. From collaborative project planning to capacity-building initiatives, we work closely with Indigenous partners to create opportunities that support local economic development and environmental stewardship.
We understand that every project is an opportunity to advance reconciliation and foster prosperity by building long-term, mutually beneficial relationships. Whether it is through joint ventures, mentorship programs, or community-driven projects, we strive to support Indigenous priorities while delivering innovative and sustainable environmental solutions.
BluMetric is dedicated to advancing Indigenous visibility, inclusion, and meaningful engagement across all aspects of our work. As an active member of the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB), we began our Partnership Accreditation in Indigenous Relations (PAIR) journey in January 2025 and currently hold PAIR Committed status. Through PAIR, we strengthen and manage our Indigenous relations through the same commitment and dedication we have for the past several decades.
JV60 is the operating name for BLM-KEL-60 Corp. and is a collaborative venture with Kipnik Inc., Accutech Engineering Inc. and Graham Kusugak.
This joint venture is dedicated to delivering specialized environmental contracting and technical services tailored to the unique conditions of the Arctic. By combining technical expertise with local stewardship, the partnership seeks to strengthen regional capacity through community-driven, culturally informed project delivery.
Key Focus Areas
Kipnik Nunavut Inc. (KNU) is an Inuit-registered federal corporation based in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut. KNU was formed, building on more than four years of collaborative project experience between Kipnik and BluMetric Environmental Inc. to serve Nunavut and across the Canadian Arctic.
The company is jointly owned by Graham Kusugak, Kipnik Inc., and BluMetric Environmental Inc., combining Inuit ownership and leadership with established northern operational capacity and technical environmental expertise. Through this partnership, KNU delivers services aligned with federal and territorial requirements while supporting community-based, culturally informed project delivery.
BluMetric and Des Nedhe Group Defence (DNGD) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on strengthening Canada’s sovereign defence supply chains. The agreement combines BluMetric’s Mission Ready Water and environmental engineering expertise with DNGD’s expanding Indigenous business network to explore opportunities aligned with Canada’s national defence priorities, including support for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to advancing resilient, sovereign supply chains while integrating Indigenous leadership and innovative environmental technologies to deliver forward-looking solutions for Canada’s defence and security sectors.
Since 2020, Det’on Cho and BluMetric have operated the Giant Mine Effluent Treatment Plant in a successful partnership. The facility treats all contact water collected across the site, removing contaminants to meet the stringent discharge standards established by the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board. This complex operation ensures that water leaving the site is safe for the environment while managing one of the region’s most challenging water treatment projects.
This project not only delivers exceptional environmental performance but also strengthens the local community. Over 60% of the operations team are local and Indigenous residents, including members of the Yellowknife Dene First Nation, demonstrating a commitment to community engagement, training, skills development, and meaningful employment.
As part of the Giant Mine Remediation Project in Yellowknife, NWT, one of Canada’s most complex contaminated site initiatives, BluMetric operates and maintains the Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP). The system ensures that all discharged treated water captured from site activities meet strict federal and territorial environmental standards. Work includes seasonal mobilization, technical oversight and operation, compliance monitoring, and continuous system performance reviews to protect surrounding ecosystems.
This project is delivered in partnership with Det’on Cho Corporation, the economic development arm of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. The program prioritizes hiring local Yellowknive operators for plant operations and field roles, supported by hands-on technical training, safety certifications, and mentorship, building long-term capacity in water treatment operations.
Under this initiative, BluMetric provides specialized health and safety professionals for Government of Nunavut departments, supporting emergency preparedness, regulatory compliance, and safe delivery of infrastructure and environmental projects in remote communities. Work includes recruitment, training, deployment, and ongoing management of qualified personnel.
The project is delivered directly by BluMetric Environmental Inc. as a trusted service provider to the Government of Nunavut Department of Education, an Inuit-led government department. The engagement model supports the participation of Inuit professionals in safety and technical roles through targeted recruitment, hands-on training, and mentorship, while aligning service delivery with the Department’s operational, regulatory, and community priorities.
BluMetric, as part of BLM-KEL-60, a joint venture Inuit company with four partner firms, supported Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) on behalf of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) for environmental assessment and remediation planning at the former Ahiak Caribou Monitoring Camp in the Kitikmeot region of Nunavut.
The project included completion of Phase I, II, and III Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs), National Classification System for Contaminated Sites (NCSCS) scoring, a Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment (HHERA), and an Archaeological Assessment. Additional key deliverables included development of a Remedial Options Analysis / Remedial Action Plan (ROA/RAP), a Remediation Workplan, and a final Remediation Report. BluMetric also delivered topographic surveying using RTK GPS and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) for high-resolution photogrammetry, along with environmental sampling and reporting.
A key component of the project was meaningful Indigenous participation and collaboration with northern communities. Field activities were supported by on-site field assistants and wildlife monitors from Cambridge Bay, providing local knowledge, environmental stewardship, and essential logistical support in a remote Arctic environment. In addition, the project team engaged in annual consultations with the Ahiak Area Co-Management Committee (ACMC), where land users and community representatives provided traditional land use information and feedback on proposed and ongoing remediation activities. This input directly informed project planning and helped ensure work was aligned with community priorities and local environmental knowledge.
The site was accessed by helicopter, with logistical coordination supported through regional partnerships, including collaboration with local industry facilities. This project reflects BluMetric’s commitment to combining technical excellence with respectful partnerships that create opportunities for northern and Indigenous communities.
Under this program, BluMetric Environmental Inc. completed spring and fall groundwater and surface water monitoring at 11 solid waste facilities in Yukon’s Southern/Eastern Region. Work included inspection of monitoring wells and documentation of well condition, groundwater level measurements, low-flow groundwater sampling, surface water grab sampling consistent with the Yukon CSR, and submission of samples to a CALA-certified laboratory for analysis of permit-required parameters.
The project delivery model supported northern capacity building through local and Indigenous participation, including the Metro Drilling Partnership (2019–2022)—a joint venture with Indigenous-owned Metro Drilling used to deliver landfill monitoring and contaminated site investigation services, integrating local employment and technical training.
When rising water levels in the tailings facility at Tundra Mine created an urgent risk of overtopping and environmental release, BluMetric delivered a rapid-response treatment solution in one of Canada’s most remote northern settings. The project became a defining example of our ability to design, mobilize, commission, operate and continuously optimize practical water treatment systems under extreme logistical and environmental constraints. Over more than a decade of involvement, BluMetric supported the treatment and compliant discharge of mine-affected water in accordance with federal contract requirements and water licence criteria, helping advance broader site remediation objectives.
The Challenge Tundra Mine, a former gold mine in the Northwest Territories, required urgent water management to reduce the risk of dam failure and discharge of contaminated tailings water. The site’s remote location, limited access, compromised runway conditions and severe northern weather created major design, mobilization and operating challenges. Treatment systems needed to be deployed quickly, adapted to changing site conditions and operated reliably while meeting stringent regulatory requirements for water quality and environmental protection.
The Solution BluMetric designed, built and mobilized an emergency water treatment plant on a compressed timeline, using collapsible tanks with an exoskeletal frame that allowed the system to be airlifted on smaller aircraft able to access the site. We established on-site analytical testing capabilities in a makeshift laboratory to support operational decision-making, process verification and compliance sampling.
Beyond initial deployment, BluMetric supported plant commissioning, treatment strategy development and ongoing process optimization to ensure effective treatment of mine-affected water throughout remediation activities. The treatment approach included solids removal using geotube filtration prior to discharge to a holding sump for confirmation sampling and analysis. As site conditions evolved, the plant was upgraded, relocated and reconstructed multiple times around the tailings facility to meet changing treatment demands and capacity requirements.
Project Highlights
Community and Partnership Impact A key factor in the project’s success was its collaborative delivery model and strong Indigenous participation. BluMetric worked closely with local Indigenous remediation contractors, including Aboriginal Engineering and later the Delta Nahanni Joint Venture (DNV), integrating Indigenous labour, subcontracting and technical skills development throughout the project lifecycle.
The project emphasized local workforce participation through hands-on operational training, mentorship and knowledge transfer in water treatment plant operations. Indigenous junior operators and assistants were employed and trained to support safe and effective plant performance while building practical experience in environmental remediation and water treatment. This approach strengthened local capacity and fostered long-term relationships with Indigenous and northern partners that continue today.
Results The Tundra project helped establish BluMetric as an innovative and agile water treatment provider in the North. Through successful commissioning, operation and optimization of the treatment plant, BluMetric enabled the compliant treatment and discharge of mine-affected water while reducing environmental risk and supporting ongoing remediation efforts. The project demonstrated the ability to deliver effective water treatment solutions under urgent timelines and highly constrained northern conditions while maintaining regulatory compliance and operational reliability.
Lasting Value Beyond its immediate technical success, the project created lasting value through local capacity building, Indigenous workforce development and knowledge transfer. It also supported future proposals, partnerships and remediation opportunities across the North, demonstrating BluMetric’s ability to combine engineering, commissioning, field operations, water treatment expertise and community partnership in a single integrated response to complex mine remediation challenges.
