Federal Environmental Assessment Decision

Decision Statement 

Issued under Section 54 of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 

to Greenstone Gold Mines 

c/o Stephen Lines, Manager, Environmental Assessment and Permitting 

2381 Bristol Circle, Suite B203 

Oakville, Ontario 

L6H 5S9 

for the 

Hardrock Gold Mine Project 

Description of the Designated Project

 

Greenstone Gold Mines is proposing the construction, operation, decommissioning and abandonment of an open-pit gold mine and on-site metal mill located approximately five kilometres south of Geraldton, Ontario, at the intersection of Highway 11 (Trans-Canada Highway) and Michael Power Boulevard. As proposed, the gold mine would have an ore production capacity of 30,000 tonnes per day, and the metal mill would have an ore input capacity of 30,000 tonnes per day. 

 

Conduct of the environmental assessment

 

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) conducted an environmental assessment of the Designated Project in accordance with the requirements of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012. The Agency commenced the environmental assessment on June 13, 2014 and submitted its report to me in my capacity as Minister of Environment and Climate Change. 

 

Decision on environmental effects referred to in subsection 5(1) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012

 

In accordance with paragraph 52(1)(a) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, after considering the report of the Agency on the Designated Project and the implementation of mitigation measures that I consider appropriate, I have determined that the Designated Project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects referred to in subsection 5(1) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012. 

In accordance with subsection 53(1) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, I have established the conditions below in relation to the environmental effects referred to in subsection 5(1) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, with which the Proponent must comply. 

 

Decision on environmental effects referred to in subsection 5(2) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012

The carrying out of the Designated Project may require the following federal authorities to exercise a power or perform a duty or function conferred on them under an Act of Parliament other than the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012:

 

• The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans may issue authorization(s) under paragraph 35(2)(b) of the Fisheries Act; 

• The Minister of Environment and Climate Change may propose an amendment under Schedule 2 of the Metal and Diamond Mining Effluent Regulations; and 

• The Minister of Natural Resources may issue a licence under subsection 7(1) of the Explosives Act. 

 

In accordance with paragraph 52(1)(b) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, after considering the report of the Agency on the Designated Project and the implementation of mitigation measures that I consider appropriate, I have determined that the Designated Project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects referred to in subsection 5(2) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012. 

In accordance with subsection 53(2) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, I have established the conditions below in relation to the environmental effects referred to in subsection 5(2) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, with which the Proponent must comply. 

 

Consultation with Indigenous groups 

 

In establishing the conditions below in relation to the environmental effects referred to in subsections 5(1) and 5(2) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, I took into account the concerns and interests identified in the consultation process with Indigenous groups. I also considered the measures to address these concerns and interests that have been identified in the environmental assessment and consultation processes. I am satisfied that the consultation process undertaken is consistent with the honour of the Crown and, with the conditions I have established, that the concerns and interests of Indigenous groups are appropriately accommodated for the purpose of issuing this Decision Statement. 

 

1 Definitions 

 

1.1 Agency means the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. 

 

1.2 Baseline means the environmental conditions prior to initiating construction of the Designated Project as described in the Environmental Impact Statement.

 

1.3 Construction means the phase of the Designated Project during which the Proponent undertakes the site preparation, building or installation of any components of the Designated Project, including periods during which these activities may temporarily cease. 

 

1.4 Contact water means water which has come into contact with, or seeped from or through, any mine site components, including the open pit, the tailings management facility, the waste rock storage areas, the overburden storage area, the process plant, the ore stockpile and the historical tailings locations. 

 

1.5 Days means calendar days. 

 

1.6 Decommissioning means the phase of the Designated Project during which the Proponent permanently ceases commercial production and commences removal from service of any components of the Designated Project, and that continues until the Proponent completes the reclamation of the site of the Designated Project and the pit lake is connected with Kenogamisis Lake. 

 

1.7 Designated Project means the Hardrock Gold Mine Project as described in section 2 of the environmental assessment report prepared by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry Reference Number 80068). 

 

1.8 Effluent means “effluent” as defined in subsection 1(1) of the Metal and Diamond Mining Effluent Regulations. 

 

1.9 Environment and Climate Change Canada means the Department of the Environment as established under subsection 2(1) of the Department of the Environment Act. 

 

1.10 Environmental assessment means “environmental assessment” as defined in subsection 2(1) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012. 

 

1.11 Environmental effects means “environmental effects” as described in section 5 of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012. 

 

1.12 Environmental Impact Statement means the July 2017 document entitled Environmental Impact Statement (Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry Reference Number 80068, document Number 17). 

 

1.13 Fish means “fish” as defined in subsection 2(1) of the Fisheries Act. 

 

1.14 Fish habitat means “fish habitat” as defined in subsection 2(1) of the Fisheries Act. 

 

1.15 Fisheries and Oceans Canada means the Department of Fisheries and Oceans as established under subsection 2(1) of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Act. 

 

1.16 Follow-up program means “follow-up program” as defined in subsection 2(1) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012. 

 

1.17 Heritage value means the aesthetic, historic, scientific, cultural, social or spiritual importance or significance for past, present or future generations. 

 

1.18 Indigenous groups means the following Aboriginal Peoples: Animbiigoo Zaagi'igan Anishinaabek, Aroland First Nation, Ginoogaming First Nation, Long Lake #58 First Nation and Métis Nation of Ontario.

 

1.19 Listed species at risk means a species that is listed on the List of Wildlife Species at Risk set out in Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act. 

 

1.20 Migratory bird means “migratory bird” as defined in subsection 2(1) of the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994. 

 

1.21 Mitigation measures means “mitigation measures” as defined in subsection 2(1) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012. 

 

1.22 Offsetting plan means “offsetting plan” as defined in section 1 of the Applications for Authorization under paragraph 35(2)(b) of the Fisheries Act Regulations and “compensation plan” as described in subsection 27.1 of the Metal and Diamond Mining Effluent Regulations. 

 

1.23 Operation means the phase of the Designated Project during which the commercial production takes place, including periods during which commercial production may temporarily cease, and which continues until the start of decommissioning. 

 

1.24 Progressive reclamation means reclamation which is carried out by the Proponent concurrently with all phases of the Designated Project to progressively return any physically disturbed areas to a state as close to the baseline as possible, as soon after the disturbance as practical. 

 

1.25 Project development area means the area labelled “project development area” on figure 1 of the environmental assessment report prepared by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. 

 

1.26 Proponent means Greenstone Gold Mines and its successors or assigns. 

 

1.27 Qualified individual means someone who, through education, experience and knowledge relevant to a particular matter, may be relied on by the Proponent to provide advice within his or her area of expertise. Knowledge relevant to a particular matter may include community and Indigenous traditional knowledge. 

 

1.28 Record means “record” as defined in subsection 2(1) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012. 

 

1.29 Relevant authorities means federal and/or provincial authorities that are in possession of specialist or expert information or knowledge, or that have a responsibility for the administration of a law or regulation, with respect to the subject matter of a condition set out in this Decision Statement. 

 

1.30 Reporting year means October 1 of a calendar year through September 30 of the subsequent calendar year. 

 

1.31 Serious harm means "serious harm" as defined in subsection 2(2) of the Fisheries Act. 

 

1.32 Structure, site or thing of historical, archeological, paleontological or architectural significance means a structure, site or thing that is determined by a qualified individual, on the basis of heritage value, to be associated with an aspect of the history or culture of the people of Canada, including Indigenous groups.