Uncovering Mining Trends in Canada
Canada has many mines and quarries that produce materials like gold, copper, coal, and lithium. Before new mines are built, they often go through a process called Impact Assessment (IA). This helps governments decide if a project should go ahead and what rules should be followed to protect people and nature.
We looked at how IA has been used for mines and quarries across Canada over the past 50 years. We created Canada’s first ever database of 227 projects that went through IA between 1974 and 2023. We also listed all the laws used for IA in different provinces and territories.
Mines are getting bigger. Some new projects plan to produce over 100,000 tonnes of material per day and cover large areas of land. Almost all projects (98%) were approved.
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Read this open access paper on the FACETS website.
The time it takes to complete an IA for a mine or quarry varies. For example, Nova Scotia’s IA process took less than a year on average, while in Ontario it took about six years. Newer laws didn’t always make the process faster.
We found that it is hard to get complete information about many projects. Some government websites are missing documents or are difficult to use. In some cases, we had to file special requests to get data with little success.
We recommend that federal, provincial, and Indigenous governments should coordinate better to avoid duplication and confusion in the IA process. Governments should make their websites easier to use and ensure documents are available online, while respecting Indigenous principles of data ownership and sharing.
Canada is entering a new phase of mining, especially for materials needed in clean energy. To make good decisions, governments and the public need clear and complete information. This study helps future IA practice by showing where things are working and where improvements are needed. With better cooperation and data sharing, Canada can lead the way in responsible mining.
Read the paper — Unearthing trends in environmental impact assessments for mines and quarries across Canada by Alana R. Westwood, Sasha M. Mines, Sugeet Miglani, Revant Sharan, Alexandre Legault, Patricia Fitzpatrick, Christopher J. Sergeant, and Ben R. Collison.
