BC Crown decision to quash Mount Polley private prosecution makes no sense

The BC Prosecution Service announced Tuesday that it was taking over and quashing the private prosecution of Mount Polley Mining Corporation over the tailings dam disaster. The charges were laid by Bev Sellars, Grandmother, former Chief of Xat’sull First Nation (Soda Creek), author, and indigenous advocate.

(Ulanbaataar/Amsterdam/Ottawa) The Dutch Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO) and Oyu Tolgoi Watch (Mongolia) published a report today showing how tax planning by Australian mining giant Rio Tinto has led to nearly US$700 million in tax losses for the Canadian and Mongolian governments, related to one of the world’s largest

SOMO and Oyu Tolgoi Watch have published a report about how the mining giant Rio Tinto, and its Canadian subsidiary Turquoise Hill Resources, avoided nearly $470 million in Canadian taxes by using mailbox companies in two tax havens, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The publication also shows how an abusive investment agreement covering the Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine has resulted in a $230 million tax revenue loss for Mongolia.

Turquoise Hill Resources routed its investment in one of the world’s largest copper deposits through Luxembourg, avoiding $559 million (U.S.) in Canadian corporate tax between 2010 and 2016, according to a new report. A company spokesperson says the arrangement was approved by the CRA.

By Ashley Renders Jan 30, 2018

A small town in Northern Quebec could hold the keys to a future where electric vehicles are the norm.

Commitment to sustainability, public participation and reconciliation essential in next-generation assessment law

OTTAWA – A coalition of experts from Canadian environmental groups and academic institutions is calling for stronger safeguards and fairer processes for reviewing proposals in the federal government’s new assessment law. A bill to replace the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 is expected to be introduced in Parliament as early as next week.

Yes, it's not specifically mining-related, but MiningWatch is deeply concerned about corruption and illegal activity in the mining sector, and that means we are deeply concerned about Canada's role in facilitating corruption, including its apparent inability – or unwillingness – to investigate and prosecute such activity.

In a brief presented last night to Quebec's BAPE Environment Panel, MiningWatch and Quebec partners press the provincial government to implement five key conditions prior to approving Arcelor Mittal's Mont Wright iron mine expansion project in Northeastern Quebec.

See more (in French) here. 

More than eight years since the murder of Mariano Abarca, an outspoken community leader in Chiapas, Mexico, his son and a group of Mexican human rights defenders will visit Ottawa, Montreal, and Toronto from February 5 to 9. Mariano led his community's struggle against the social and environmental impacts of Blackfire Exploration’s barite mine.

On Wednesday, January 17, the Chilean Environmental Superintendence (SMA) ordered the permanent closure of Barrick Gold’s Pascua Lama open pit gold mine project and imposed a fine of approximately $12 million on the company. The agency’s decision follows five years of investigation and a series of community complaints about environmental infractions at the project site. The authority imposed penalties and laid more than 30 charges for a series of offences, six of which were classified as very serious, including two that concern irreparable damage to the environment.