An authority in the Northwest Territories is considering suspending the water permit of the company overseeing operations at the Ekati diamond mine due to unauthorized waste disposal. The Wek’èezhìi Land and Water Board sent a letter to the territory’s environment minister, urgently highlighting that PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Inc. has been depositing emulsion into the Long Lake containment facility at the Ekati site against the board’s instructions.
PwC took on the role of receiver for the mine earlier this year following the lack of buyers for the diamond mine. The parent company of Ekati, Arctic Canadian Diamond Company, filed for creditor protection in May. Despite clear directives from the board against disposing of emulsion into the Long Lake facility, PwC continued the practice, leading the board to express concern over the company’s non-compliance with its water permit terms.
The board discovered that PwC claimed approval from a government inspector to carry on with emulsion disposal, citing the previous owner’s similar actions since June 2025 as justification. In response, the board warned of potential suspension of the water permit for the Ekati Mine operations due to PwC’s defiance of directives.
As the appointed receiver, PwC is responsible for upholding essential functions at the Ekati site, including maintaining safety and environmental protection. A suspension of the water permit would halt all activities at the mine. The Wek’èezhìi Land and Water Board has requested a meeting with environment department officials to address the issue, seeking clarification on the volume of emulsion disposed of and the alleged approval from the government inspector.
N.W.T. Environment Minister Jay Macdonald mentioned that discussions are being arranged between the government, the board, and PwC to address the concerns raised before further comments can be made.