A golden legacy: The Con Employees Benevolent Fund – Yellowknife Community Foundation

10 July 2018

For over 60 years, Yellowknife was synonymous with gold. From the initial discovery of the precious metal in 1934 to the last gold brick in 2003, Con Mine would play a vital role in the growth and development of the City.

“From its earliest days the mine fostered a dynamic and vibrant community for mine employees and the fledgling city.”

“Con Mine played an important role in generations of families in the North,” said Robert Tumchewics, the last president of the Con Employees Benevolent Society. “Three generations of the Tumchewics family worked at Con Mine.”

“Con Mine welcomed members of the Royal Family three times, including Queen Elizabeth II. Most importantly Con Mine and its employees continuously contributed to the growth of the City of Yellowknife.”

“We established the Con Employees’ Benevolent Society in 1955 as a wage replacement plan to provide benefits to our members for non-work-related sickness or accidents. It was funded and administered by the owners of Con Mine and employees,” said Robert of the Society.

As the Society evolved, joint funding continued, but the employees took over full responsibility for administration. To help ensure the sufficient funding of the Society, the employees added a separate employee funded Sick Plan.

A board of directors made up of employees from both surface and underground, simple rules and very low administration costs kept the Society in good financial condition. As new owners took over Con Mine they found the Benevolent Society to be an attractive alternative to more conventional insurance plans and the Society was always able to provide consistent benefits to its members until the last were laid off in the fall of 2006 when final operations ceased and Con Mine closed.

“With the closing of the mine and winding up the affairs of the Con Mine Employees Benevolent Society, the directors looked for a way to continue the legacy of contributing to the community.”

“In 2011 we worked with the Yellowknife Community Foundation to establish the Con Employees’ Benevolent Fund to provide scholarships to students looking at studying a trade or professional career in the mining industry.”

“What attracted us to working with the Community Foundation was knowing that the fund would last for generations and help maintain what Con Mine started.”

Learn more about the Con Employees Benevolent Fund.

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About the Yellowknife Community Foundation

The Yellowknife Community Foundation was formed in 1993 to provide interested individuals and organizations with a means of supporting projects in our community for the enduring future. The Foundation is not singularly dedicated to any specific area of support. It embodies a simple concept – that people working together can make a difference for all. For more information: https://www.ykcf.ca/

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Impact Story - Skate North -...

July 29, 2026

The Yellowknife Small Grants Program offers micro-grants of up to $1,000 for individual residents of Yellowknife, Ndilǫ, and Dettah to bring the community together and help make it better. The first ever batch of grants was awarded in Fall 2025 to eight community members, including Forrest Doctor for his ongoing project, Skate North.

The initiative aims to make skateboarding more accessible to youth by providing safe skate spaces, equipment, and mentorship.

” I want to encourage youth to commit to their passions, take initiative, and create positive change. For me, that means creating a safe space for learners, something I didn’t have when I first started. This project is about keeping skateboarding alive in the NWT and giving our youth the support and opportunities they deserve.” – excerpt from Forrest’s proposal

Forrest used the grant to purchase helmets, knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards to give away to up-and-coming skaters. Through free prize draws, in-person outreach, and open calls on social media, Forrest was able to get gear directly into the hands of youth who need it the most.

Forrest Doctor giving away gear at the miniramp in Ndilǫ. The ramp was constructed in Spring 2026 as part of a Skate North wordworking workshop, delivered in partnership with the YKDFN Dechı̨ta Nàowo Training Center.

Matt Wolff from Rumor Boardshop in Edmonton, AB.
The skate shop is an ardent supporter and partner to the Skate North project.

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The results of this direct access model were both immediate and unexpected. Two things stand out especially. First, Forrest noticed that new skaters were able to instantly start with confidence. Having proper safety gear in place meant they were free to try things as many times as they wanted. That ability to iterate safely creates a level of early learning and progression that is invaluable.

Second, the degree of engagement from youth, families, and the larger community was uplifting. Skate North has now grown through additional volunteers, sponsors, and partners, including local schools. It shows that there is a strong demand for skateboarding and action sports overall. Now an olympic sport, the old cultural stigmas attached to skating have faded away. All that remains is a desire to get out there and rip.

Forrest partnered with Rumor Boardshop in Edmonton, AB to acquire the gear at a discounted rate. Shop rep Matt Wolff had this to say on the impact of skating and initiatives like Skate North:

“Especially in smaller communities, skateboarding can be a huge outlet for youth, not only physically, but to express themselves artistically as well. It also brings a real sense of community for people. I grew up in a small town in the middle of Alberta, and the people I skateboarded with I still have friendships with to this day.”

We can’t wait to see a new generation of skaters come up and grow the local scene in the North. Keep rolling.