Parks and Protected Areas

In February 2011 the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) began a process to develop a mineral strategy for the province. This is a welcome initiative as the last comprehensive policy review for the mineral sector was in the 1970s. As a starting point the government released a discusion paper and then hosted a number of community consultations and two themed workshops. MiningWatch participated in a workshop titled Environment Sustainable Mining held in St. John's on April 7 and submitted written comments on April 14.

Joint news release with Northwatch: A major new report highlights serious impacts on the Canadian boreal forest from all phases of mining activity, from exploration to closure. Two respected mining industry watchdogs – Northwatch and MiningWatch Canada – say they published The Boreal Below (an all-new and expanded version of a widely circulated 2001 report) in response to growing demand from communities across Canada for information and analysis to help understand the impacts of mining on their lives and livelihoods. It provides a carefully-documented analysis of the social, environmental, and cultural impacts of mining from prospecting to mine closure, as well as an overview of the current situation by province and territory.

Sierra Club of Canada/MiningWatch Canada

First proposed in 1996 and reviewed by federal-provincial hearings in 1997 and 2000, Cheviot was not developed due its poor economics and public opposition. Now the company has commenced a different and potentially more destructive mine project. In 1997, Ottawa papers reported that the federal government had delayed their decision on Cheviot while they "worked on a strategy to sell the controversial project to the public."?

The Prairie Creek Mine, located just outside the boundary of the Nahanni National Park Reserve and World Heritage Site, is an environmental and financial disaster waiting to happen. The issues are numerous and somewhat complex. They involve the mine's poor location, toxic substances, regulatory oversight, Aboriginal lands, and the expansion of one of Canada's most famous National Parks.