Summary of the Wasamac Task Force Meeting on January 25, 2023

The 18th meeting of the Wasamac Task Force was held on January 25, 2023, at the Club de l’Âge d’Or in Évain. It began with an update on the transaction involving the acquisition of Yamana Gold by Pan American Silver and Agnico Eagle. The shareholder vote will take place on January 31, and if the acquisition is finalized, the asset distribution between the buyers will result in the Canadian Malartic Partnership and the Wasamac underground mining project coming fully under Agnico Eagle.

Regarding updates on the project and Yamana's field activities: the teams have worked on constructing an ice bridge to support the machinery needed for sediment sampling at the bottom of Lac Hélène, scheduled for the first week of February.

Members were informed that the previously discussed study on the paleolimnology of Lac Hélène sediments will not take place this winter. DNA analyses of Lac Hélène will remain a potential avenue for local projects, and discussions with university researchers will continue to explore future research collaboration opportunities.

Two community activities have taken place since the last Task Force meeting. Seventy-five people participated in the "4 to 7 Hot Chocolates" event held on December 15, 2022. The community relations team also took part in the World Snow Day on January 15 at the Évain Cross-Country Ski Club.

Members were informed that the neighborhood tour to update on cohabitation programs will take place following the transaction. Instead, the community relations team focused on consulting property owners on Lac Hélène Road to gather their opinions on the park redevelopment project. The results of this consultation were presented to the members. Yamana aims to order the equipment in the coming weeks.

The drafting of the Task Force's activity report since its inception is currently underway. The objectives and projected contents were presented to the members, who are invited to share their comments on the desired content and layout. A questionnaire for the annual satisfaction evaluation of the members will also be sent by email.

The group also discussed the possibility of canceling the February meeting based on available content and the sequence of events related to the transaction. Follow-up will be done via email with the members.

For a detailed meeting report (french only) : https://wasamac-eng.agnicoeagle.com/20630/widgets/83491/documents/119000