April 21, 2026 – Ottawa, Ontario
Natan Obed, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and Sean Boyd, Chair of the Board of Agnico Eagle Mines Limited announced a $10 million investment by Agnico Eagle in support of Inuit Nunangat University. They made the announcement today during the Future of Business Summit, hosted by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Ottawa.
Inuit Nunangat University is an Inuit-led university that is set to welcome its first cohort of students in 2030. Its main campus will be based in Arviat, Nunavut, with a presence in each Inuit treaty region in Canada. The initiative is led by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and Inuit Treaty Organizations to transform post-secondary education through programs rooted in Inuit knowledge, language, and culture.
“Agnico Eagle is pleased to commit $10 million toward the development of Inuit Nunangat University, a significant investment that supports the National Strategy on Inuit Education led by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami,” said Sean Boyd, Chair of the Board of Agnico Eagle. “This initiative represents a meaningful opportunity to expand educational pathways for Inuit youth and to strengthen long-term capacity and leadership across Inuit Nunangat communities. As the largest mining company in Nunavut, we recognize the critical role that education and training play in building strong, resilient communities, and we commend the leadership of ITK and the Hamlet of Arviat in advancing this important Inuit-led initiative. We hope our contribution helps strengthen the university’s foundation and encourages further collaboration among governments, industry, Inuit organizations and other partners in support of its long-term success.”
“I would like to thank Agnico Eagle for their long-standing support for building the first Inuit-led university in Canada,” said Obed. “We could not realize a project of this magnitude without many partners. Agnico Eagle has been a supporter of this project for about more than decade and we are proud to be working with them to implement our vision for Inuit self-determination, and prosperity across Inuit Nunangat through education.”
With Agnico Eagle’s contribution, the Inuit Nunangat University has secured more than $160 million in critical funding, providing a strong foundation for infrastructure and campus development.
About Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami is the national, democratic Inuit representative organization whose mandate is determined by Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., Makivvik, and Nunatsiavut Government.
About Agnico Eagle
Canadian-based and led, Agnico Eagle is Canada’s largest mining company and the second largest gold producer in the world, operating mines in Canada, Australia, Finland and Mexico. The Company is advancing a pipeline of high-quality development projects in these regions to support sustainable growth over the next decade. Agnico Eagle is a partner of choice within the mining industry, recognized globally for its leading sustainability practices.
See a background on Inuit Nunangat University here.
