Rigorous scrutiny ahead for Shoal Lake gold project

Under the Act, being designated means that the project review process will now include not only environmental aspects, but also the project’s potential impact on the over-all socio-economic environment of the area.

Normally, private sector gold mining projects in Ontario are not subject to the Environmental Assessment Act.

Neither the company nor the ministry could say exactly how long the new review process will take, because Duport is the first gold project to be designated under the Act, which provides for public hearings and a greatly expanded study of the proposed gold mine’s impact at Shoal Lake.

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment had been under considerable public pressure during the past year to designate the Duport project for review under the Act.

Immediately following the submission by Consolidated Professor of its first environmental application, under the Ontario Water Resources Act, a campaign to block the project was initiated by several cottage owners at Shoal Lake. Pressure was also brought to bear on the Manitoba and Ontario governments.

At issue were concerns about protecting Winnipeg’s water supply, which is drawn from an intake pipe situated 13 km west of the proposed Duport minesite.

For its part, the company is concerned that additional delays and costs will be associated with the onerous review process imposed under the Environmental Assessment Act.

President Richard Dunlop said he remains confident the project is based on sound design and the best available technology, and the technical and safety aspects will be approved under the most rigorous scrutiny.

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