‘Activities at mine were paused following the incident and ‘will resume when it is appropriate to do so’
Agnico Eagle’s Upper Beaver gold project near Kirkland Lake, Ont., has received a national safety award just days after a worker was killed underground at the site.
The Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) awarded Canada’s largest gold producer and its Upper Beaver project with the Mining and Minerals Project Development Safety Award at its Celebration of Excellence Gala in Vancouver on May 4, Northern Ontario Business reported.
The award recognizes safety performance at project development sites over a defined period.
That came after, on May 1, Agnico Eagle reported the death of an employee underground at Upper Beaver. The advanced exploration project is located about 25 kilometres east of Kirkland Lake and is one of the company’s development‑stage mines. It is expected to enter production in 2031.
Ministry investigation and regulatory response
Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) confirmed to CTV News that a formal investigation is underway into the underground death. The ministry “was notified of a fatality underground at the Upper Beaver Mine at the Township of Gauthier,” it said in an email to the outlet.
According to the ministry, “two ministry inspectors attended the scene to begin an investigation. As the investigation is ongoing, no further details are available at this time.”
The Ontario Provincial Police said officers are assisting the ministry. As of publication, no information has been released about the worker’s identity, job classification or the specific task underway at the time of the incident.
Site suspension and company safety review
Agnico Eagle has paused activity at Upper Beaver while investigations continue.
Cameron Grant, Agnico’s communications manager for Ontario, said the incident has prompted a review of safety practices. In an emailed response to Northern Ontario Business, he said operations at the site remain on hold.
“With respect to the incident, the investigation remains ongoing and we are not in a position to provide additional details at this time. Activities at the Upper Beaver Project were paused following the incident and will resume when it is appropriate to do so. Agnico Eagle continues to offer its full support to the family during this difficult period,” Grant said.
Grant said the CIM recognition reflects the project’s earlier performance. “The Upper Beaver team received this (CIM) award in recognition of their work and performance in 2025. While the timing, following the May 1 incident, is not what anyone would have wanted, the award reflects a broader body of work beyond a single moment in time,” he said, according to the Northern Ontario Business report.
“Health and safety remains central to everything we do and is a core part of Agnico Eagle’s culture,” Grant added. He said the company has taken “immediate steps to reinforce safety expectations across the organization” and is reviewing practices, strengthening oversight and ensuring resources and controls are in place “to further reduce risk and help prevent future incidents,” according to the report.
Agnico Eagle is working to develop the Upper Beaver deposit into a gold and copper mine, a phase that typically involves intensive underground construction, ramp development and installation of critical services.
Another case of award after fatality
A separate report from CBC said the Rainy River gold‑silver mine in northwestern Ontario also received a national safety trophy at the same industry gala.
Coeur Mining’s Rainy River mine, located about 65 kilometres northwest of Fort Frances, was awarded the John T. Ryan Regional Safety Trophy at the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Celebration of Excellence Gala. The trophy is presented to mines that record the lowest reportable injury frequency per 200,000 hours worked in their region.
The award recognizes safety performance in the 2025 calendar year.
The fatality at Rainy River occurred on July 24, 2024, under the previous owner. The worker was operating equipment in the open pit when the incident took place. New Gold suspended operations at the site following the death and said it was co‑operating with provincial authorities, according to the report from CBC. The Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development dispatched inspectors to investigate.
The Rainy River mine has been in production since 2017 and employs roughly 900 people, making it the largest employer in the Rainy River District.
