Planned B.C. gold mine near Quesnel passes environmental assessment

A gold mine B.C.’s Cariboo region took a significant step closer to operation after being granted an environmental assessment certificate.

Environment Minister George Heyman and Mines Minister Josie Osborne said in a statement Tuesday that they have given provincial approval for Osisko Development Corp. to build and operate the underground Cariboo Gold mine, east of Quesnel, provided the project receives all its required permits.

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The certificate comes with 22 conditions, including establishing a new drinking water supply for Wells, minimizing impacts to the Barkerville woodland caribou herd, and hiring 75 per cent of workers from the region, if possible.

The province notes there are requirements in place for the project to minimize noise, traffic, air pollution, and visual impacts in order to limit negative effects on locals and tourists alike.

The ministers’ requirements and conditions are to be monitored and enforced by environmental assessment officers.

Once completed, the mine is expected to produce about 25 million tonnes of ore over 16 years and employ 500 workers during its operation.

The mine is the first to be assessed from start to finish under the province’s 2018 Environmental Assessment Act which created a new process that includes more participation from First Nations.

The B.C. government estimates the project’s construction costs alone will generate $588 million for the province’s economy over a four-year span — employing about 200 workers in the process.

In a document laying out their reasons for making the decision, the ministers say Lhtako Dene Nation and Williams Lake First Nation provided notices of consent, and XatÅ›ull First Nation said they do not oppose the project but consider consent an “ongoing process.”