How has GCM Consultants evolved to service the mining sector?

PT: Since 1994, GCM Consultants has been serving clients in heavy industries. Historically, most of our clients were in the oil and gas industries, but we have been seeing growth recently in mining and manufacturing. We now have over 400 employees in nine offices across Canada, with headquarters in Montreal. Throughout the years, we have added specialty services to our portfolio, including construction and procurement management, process safety management, and machine safety. Our construction subsidiary, Volo Construction, can act as a general contractor. Through acquisitions we have also expanded our environmental and sustainable development consulting services, which focuses on renewable energies, energy efficiency, operational excellence, industry 4.0, and industrial IT.

In what ways can GCM assist its clients in achieving their ESG targets?

MS: The reality is that if a mine wants to be sustainable, it needs to make sure the community is on board and that it is cost effective to allow for the success of the company in the long term. We are finding innovative ways to reduce tailings footprints, including using waste material in other industries. We are also involved in water treatment solutions where we reduce the production of sludge by reducing the need to treat water. Our team will approach water use differently to reduce at the source and recycle water at different points in the plant, even underground.

Additionally, GCM has a great team of biologists that work on evaluations of flora and fauna. With any project, the environment needs to be characterized, and our biologists will go onsite and set up a baseline inventory of the fauna and flora in the area. Inventory reports are sent to the relevant ministries, after which we evaluate the impact of the project on the local environment and how the client can mitigate these impacts.

Can you elaborate on the work GCM does regarding water management and water treatment?

MS: Reducing consumption is the first step for mining businesses to ensure sustainability. We are also involved in the progressive restoration space, where we are looking at how water consumption can be reduced and recycled during the tailings treatment process. We do many pre-feasibility and feasibility studies prior to recommending water treatment systems, and we currently have a focus on maintaining the quality of water within treatment systems to eliminate the need for refurbishment every few years alongside changes in regulation.

Besides financial investment, what support does GCM receive from Fonds de solidarité FTQ?

PT: Fonds de solidarité FTQ became a partner of GCM in early 2022, but we are still an employee-owned company. This partnership allows leverage and quick response to business opportunities. Our development plan is based on acquisitions, and our partnership with Fonds de solidarité FTQ will certainly be helpful, as they are also in partnership with 3,400 other businesses in Québec.

How has GCM tackled the industry-wide labor shortage?

PT: Historically, GCM has had a very low turnaround rate. We also recently established a subsidiary, Strana Talent, that is focused on finding qualified human resources for both our company and our clients. We strive to create a favorable working environment for our employees and offer flexibility such as remote working. Our business is quite diverse, guaranteeing stability to our employees. For example, if there is a slowdown in the mining sector, we can leverage from the manufacturing or oil and gas sectors.

What are GCM’s priorities for the next few years?

PT: We have seen good business performance over the past several years and want to continue working in this direction, keeping our core values in mind. The world is changing quickly, and we want to be on the frontline together with our clients in taking on energy efficiencies issues, environmental issues, and manpower issues. GCM will continue to expand its service offerings through acquisitions to stay ahead of the game as the market comes up with new needs and challenges. We also aim to streamline our internal processes to continue boosting our efficiency.