According to the SMA, the Saskatchewan mining industry is a major sector of the provincial economy. In fact, it contributed more than $7 billion to the provincial GDP in 2018.

Saskatchewan’s mining sector also employs 30,000 people directly and indirectly across the province, with a payroll of more than $1.4 billion to direct employees. It is proportionally the largest private-sector employer of Indigenous peoples in the province.

For every $1 spent on drilling, another $1.30 is spent on support activities, such as geophysics, groceries, camp and air support and professional services, with the majority of this spend with companies operating out of northern Saskatchewan.

Amber Doney, whose career has been spent working in Saskatchewan’s mining industry, wants to encourage other women to participate in the influential sector, which the SMA has called “a primary engine of growth for the Saskatchewan economy.”

“I’ve had a rewarding career so far,” said Doney, acting board chair of the registered not-for-profit organization Women in Mining and Women in Nuclear Saskatchewan Inc. (WIM/WiN-SK).

Doney is currently the exploration strategy and business relations manager with Orano Canada as well as a partner in a private consulting company. After earning an undergraduate degree in geology through the College of Arts and Science at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), she became involved in mining exploration, primarily working in the Athabasca Basin in northern Saskatchewan and the Thelon Basin in Nunavut. She also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from USask’s Edwards School of Business.

Doney wanted to join WIM/WiN-SK after seeing firsthand “some of the challenges with being a woman in mining” and “some of the gaps and shortfalls that currently exist for women within the industry.” She said WIM/ WiN-SK is trying to reduce the “gender gap” between the number of women and the number of men who are employed in the mining and nuclear sector.

She noted that in Saskatchewan, women make up less than 20 per cent of the workforce within the mining industry. That’s of concern to WIM/WiN-SK, which was founded in 2012. The organization promotes education, awareness and research and proactively seeks opportunities to minimize the gender gap and expand diversity in Saskatchewan’s mining and nuclear industries.

“I’ve been fortunate in my career. I’ve had some fantastic mentors, although predominantly male. Part of our challenge as an industry, to fill the workforce demand needed in the future, is to ensure we’re pulling from 100 per cent of the workforce and hiring the best candidate for every (posting), regardless of their gender,” she said.

“Statistics show that we’re not capturing as much interest from the women or, if we are, then they’re leaving the industry. For myself personally, I haven’t experienced that part of the challenge, other than the fact that you see that there’s very few women in senior roles and obviously asking the question ‘why?’ So, you don’t have as many female mentors in the industry. As an industry as a whole, we have the challenge of needing to fill the demand for a skilled workforce moving forward.”

Doney said while increasing numbers of women are studying science and engineering, there hasn’t been the same increase in the workforce statistics, meaning women are not choosing to remain employed in the mining and nuclear industry as they progress through their careers. She hopes organizations such as WIM/WiN-SK can help the industry get a better understanding of the contributing factors to this gender gap.

“I think there’s definitely challenges around work-life balance. It comes back to continuing to change society’s perception of women being the dominant caregivers in families and therefore not being away,” she said.

“To me that’s a societal pressure, not (one) every family necessarily believes or practices. Part of it is determining whether it’s a perception that the mining industry isn’t open or amenable to work-life balance and families, or is it the truth? And is it the mining industry, or merely specific instances? The conversation needs to continue to ensure that these challenges are being looked at.”

Doney said many companies are having conversations around diversity in mining, and many have set specific targets to ensure it remains top of mind. WIM/WiN-SK is also encouraging conversations around gender equity through its various professional networking opportunities and events — which are open to everyone – such as its Lunch and Learns.

Membership in WIM/WiN-SK is free and offers a number of benefits, including best practices and other tools people can utilize when facing diversity or inclusion challenges, a forum for professional development, and up-to-date information about the latest mining and nuclear events. The organization also provides a mentorship program to women and students, as well as scholarships to women studying to enter the mining and/or nuclearrelated fields.

Perhaps most notably, each year WIM/WiN-SK hosts the Mine Your Potential (MYP) Conference, which welcomes attendees from large corporations, small businesses, associations and government, as well as students. This year, MYP will be held in Saskatoon on Sept. 25, 2020, at Prairieland Park.

“The conference has a different theme every year, with streams for both technical and soft skills development,” said Doney. “Attendees can choose from a range of breakout sessions they wish to attend and tailor the day to fit their interests, but it’s all focused on professional and personal development and expanding your professional network.”

For more information on MYP or WIM/WiN-SK, go online to wimwinsk.com.

-Shannon Boklaschuk