On September 13th, the Mining Association of Canada presented its ‘Towards Sustainable Mining’ (TSM) standard at the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade in a talk entitled “Critical Minerals, Canadian Advantage.” MiningWatch Canada and the BC Mining Law Reform (BCMLR) network released this backgrounder on the 7 myths about Towards Sustainable Mining’s voluntary standard, which the B.C.

On August 26, 2021, the Shuar Arutam People, along with 136 other Ecuadorian and Canadian organizations, including MiningWatch Canada, sent a letter to Sylvie Bédard, Canada’s Ambassador to Ecuador, asking her to issue a formal public statement condemning Canadian mining company Solaris Resources Inc.’s death threat against the president of the Shuar Arutam People (PSHA), Josefina Tunki, and her colleagues.

The letter also denounces the corporate abuses by Solaris, which has promoted community division, intimidation and militarization of the Shuar Arutam territory in order to advance its Warintza mining project, and calls on the Canadian embassy and government to take immediate action.

(Vancouver) MiningWatch Canada is relieved that the B.C. Environmental Appeal Board (EAB) has dismissed Imperial Metals’ Mount Polley Mine appeal of its $9,000 fine for violating environmental permit requirements. The mining watchdog urges the B.C. government to beef up its environmental penalties, and stop ongoing water pollution in Quesnel Lake.

On August 26, 2021, the Shuar Arutam People, along with 136 other Ecuadorian and Canadian organizations, including MiningWatch Canada, sent a letter to Sylvie Bédard, Canada’s Ambassador to Ecuador, asking her to issue a formal public statement condemning Canadian mining company Solaris Resources Inc.’s death threat against the president of the Shuar Arutam People (PSHA), Josefina Tunki, and her colleagues.

Ryan Stuart

Background:

Today six U.S. and Canadian human rights and environmental organizations filed a letter with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) supporting a request to extend precautionary measures for activists opposed to the Escobal mine in Guatemala. The mine has faced strong local opposition from the day it started operations in 2011, opposition that has met violent repression, threats and defamation campaigns.

(Bella Coola, BC) On behalf of Nuxalk Administration, the elected Chief and Council support the Nuxalk Stataltmc (ancestral governance) in their eviction of unauthorized mining in Nuxalkulmc (Nuxalk territory). Mining company Juggernaut Explorations must immediately cease its operations, remove their equipment, return the core samples, and leave the area. 

Canada has refused to condemn war crimes in Tigray, where its “feminist” assistance has created opportunities for Canadian mining companies 

by Fitsum Areguy

On the evening of May 31, 2021, communities in Cuenca, Ecuador were hit with shocking news when it was announced that Vancouver-based mining company INV Metals had been acquired by Toronto-based Dundee Precious Metals. No one saw this coming. INV Metals had been (and still is) running ads promoting its Loma Larga project, in a desperate effort to achieve social licence for the project.