Sustainability assessment and conflict resolution: Reaching agreement to proceed with the Voisey's Bay nickel mine

Between 1997 and 2002, Inco Limited's proposed major nickel mining project near Voisey's Bay on the north coast of Labrador was the subject of an innovative environmental assessment and a set of surrounding and consequential negotiations. Through these processes, the proponent and other participants wrestled directly, often openly, and by some interim measures successfully with the project's potential contribution to local and regional sustainability. The resulting agreements to proceed were heavily influenced by the precedent-setting assessment, which imposed a “contribution to sustainability” test on the proposed undertaking. Given the profound differences in background, culture, priorities and formal power involved, as well as the record of tensions in the history of this case and before, the agreements also represent a considerable achievement in conflict resolution. The paper examines the reasons for, and lessons from, use of a sustainability-centred approach in this case.