Baffinland

Background

Baffinland Iron Mines (Baffinland) is developing its Mary River Property, a large open pit iron mine located on North Baffin Island in the Qikqtani Region of Nunavut. Baffinland is owned 50% by ArcelorMittal and 50% by Nunavut Iron Ore (NIO). It is one of the largest and richest undeveloped iron ore projects in the world and involves the construction, operation, closure and reclamation of an open pit mine, making every aspect of the project a technological challenge due to the extreme weather conditions. The deposit itself is unique in that it contains 365 million tonnes of high-grade, direct ship, lump and fine iron ore that can be mined, crushed, and screened with no other processing, reducing the environmental impact of the mine.

Perhaps, the most significant aspect of the project is that it represents, with Baffinland’s signing of the Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement with the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, real opportunity for the local Inuit population who stand to see their economy transformed by the project.

Jar Creative was engaged by Baffinland to redesign the website as the Mary River Project entered the final stages of its formal review process. The goal was to create a substantial project information resource that spoke to various stakeholders including the government, the media and the local Inuit.

Strategy

Stakeholder Engagement

Before undertaking any design and planning work we gathered together nearly 20 people within the organization to get the perspectives of a diverse body of stakeholders, from HR, to project safety, to the corporate social responsibility side. We crafted a plan and site map that would stand as a definitive resource for the project.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Working closely with the communications team at Baffinland, we helped craft the copy for the site with sensitivity towards the environmental and social issues surrounding the project. This meant using neutral language that presented the facts in a straightforward, unbiased context.

Information Architecture

Creating a comprehensive resource meant building a navigation system based on a good understanding of stakeholder needs and user profiles. Balancing industry standards and the needs of the project, we built a three tiered site structure around the project, sustainable development, Health and safety, HR, and news related content.

Art Direction

We provided photo art direction that focused on the landscape, people and communities of the north. We built a simple yet elegant design around the photos that focused on the content and supported the theme of respect for the environment and people of the north.

VIEW WEBSITE

Services

User Experience Design
Branding
Multi-screen Design
Content and Copywriting

“Many compliments on how striking our website looks and how easy it is to navigate… Jar did an excellent job.”

Greg Missal, VP Corporate Affairs

Baffinland