In 2020 Centerra responded to the immediate needs of local communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic by providing over $200,000 in new investments across Northern British Columbia. In 2021, we rolled out the Mine the Gap: Shifting Forward program, an economic development project aimed at supporting the sustainable development of local independent businesses. Centerra granted $100,000 in funds to 11 local businesses whose services span health and wellness, arts and culture, food services, sports and recreation, and transportation and manufacturing. Grant recipients represented multiple communities and included both female and Indigenous business owners.

Our Story: COVID-19 Relief for Local Businesses in Northern British Columbia

Centerra has taken the following measures to provide its employees with accurate information, help prevent infection and reduce the potential transmission of COVID-19:

• Pandemic & Crisis Management: A global crisis management team was activated in early March 2020 and has remained in full operation into 2021/2022. The team, comprised of executives and local site leaders, has been leading Centerra’s global response and has implemented a corporate pandemic response plan complemented by local site-specific crisis management plans. In 2021, the team engaged the services and guidance of ISOS, an external medical advisory service. This medical advisory service provides the team with the latest in pandemic developments and trends to assist with critical decision making related to the pandemic.
• Health and Mental Wellbeing Support: Centerra continues to educate and raise awareness on COVID-19 facts and preventative actions through frequent communication with employees, and is directing leaders to offer compassionate support for employees who are concerned about their wellbeing and the wellbeing of their families. Depending on the site and office location, the Company provides assistance through its benefit programs including, but not limited to, access to mental health counsellors, virtual health services, wellness allowances and employee and family assistance programs. A standard operating procedure has been implemented in case there is a need for individual isolation and subsequent transportation from site for any individual who exhibits COVID-19 related symptoms.
• Workplace Hygiene: All sites have increased daily cleaning of all common areas and spaces where there is frequent employee contact, including shared objects and any high-touch surfaces. Proper food hygiene and preparation practices have been reinforced at the Company’s mine sites which have on-site living quarters.
• Operating mine sites have been actively assessing the resiliency of their supply chain, increasing mine site inventories of key materials and developing contingency plans to allow for continued operations.

The strict precautions and diligent protocols we have implemented across our sites have been successful. We will continue to assess and adapt our protocols as needed to manage COVID-19 and keep our people safe.