Underground gold mine in Wells now has blessing of the province

The provincial government has issued an environmental assessment certificate to Osisko Development for a proposed underground gold mine in Wells.

The decision was made today by George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, and Josie Osborne, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation.

A news release from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy says “the project assessment involved extensive consultation with technical experts, First Nations, provincial agencies, local governments, a community advisory committee and the public.  In making their decision, the ministers listened to and considered the concerns brought forward that the Cariboo Gold project could result in potential adverse effects on residents in Wells, First Nations access to land and the Barkerville woodland caribou herd.”

The certificate comes with 22 legally binding conditions in the environmental assessment certificate.

Key requirements include:

* a plan to minimize impacts on the local community and tourism, through: a limit on the maximum allowable noise from the project; performing blasting only during the day; using vegetation to screen buildings and other facilities to minimize visual impacts for residents and visitors; limiting truck traffic near residential areas; strict policies around work camps, including to prevent gender-based violence and restrict use of tourist accommodations by workers; hiring 75% of workers from the region (if qualified); a strategy developed with the District of Wells to mitigate pressures on recreation and tourism; and supporting community events to promote arts and culture. Osisko also must hold regular community meetings and ensure timely response to concerns;

* establishing a new, clean drinking water supply for the District of Wells;

* mitigation and monitoring measures to reduce emissions and maintain air quality;

* managing effects on the environment, in particular to mitigate impacts to wildlife, habitat and bodies of water, overseen by an independent environmental monitor;

* working with the Province to support remediation in the District of Wells and along the shore of Jack of Clubs Lake, contaminated by a previous mine’s tailings containing arsenic, cobalt, cadmium, lead and other contaminants; and

* a specific plan to minimize impacts to the Barkerville woodland caribou herd, including monitoring, mitigation measures and offsets for habitat disturbance.

This is the first project entirely assessed under the new 2018 Environmental Assessment Act.

The Cariboo Gold Project is expected to employ around 200 workers during construction, peaking at close to 300, and will employ almost 500 during operations.