Cariboo Gold approval to create hundreds of jobs

The key requirements include:

a plan to minimize impacts on the local community and tourism, through: hiring 75% of workers from the region (if qualified); a limit on the maximum allowable noise from the project; performing blasting only during the day; using vegetation to screen buildings and other facilities to minimize visual impacts for residents and visitors; limiting truck traffic near residential areas; strict policies around work camps, including to prevent gender-based violence and restrict use of tourist accommodations by workers; a strategy developed with the District of Wells to mitigate pressures on recreation and tourism; and supporting community events to promote arts and culture. Osisko also must hold regular community meetings and ensure timely response to concerns;
establishing a new, clean drinking water supply for the District of Wells;
mitigation and monitoring measures to reduce emissions and maintain air quality;
managing effects on the environment, in particular to mitigate impacts to wildlife, habitat and bodies of water, overseen by an independent environmental monitor;
working with the Province to support remediation in the District of Wells and along the shore of Jack of Clubs Lake, contaminated by a previous mine’s tailings containing arsenic, cobalt, cadmium, lead and other contaminants.
A specific plan to minimize impacts to the Barkerville woodland caribou herd, including monitoring, mitigation measures and offsets for habitat disturbance.

These conditions are intended to prevent or reduce potential adverse environmental, economic, social, cultural and health effects from Cariboo Gold.

The ministers also noted in their decision that the project will provide benefits to the province, the local community and First Nations community through employment and economic benefits. The project will employ an average of 200 workers during construction, peaking at close to 300 workers, and will employ almost 500 during operations.

Under the 2018 Environmental Assessment Act, First Nations participating in the process have an opportunity to provide their consent, or lack thereof for the project. Lhtako Dené Nation and Williams Lake First Nation provided notices of consent, and Xatśūll First Nation advised the ministers that they did not object to the project.

by Sam Bennison

Cariboo Gold approval to create hundreds of jobs

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