Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault on Monday approved a major open-pit mining project in Quebec that will operate in an area considered “critical habitat” for woodland caribou, and more specifically for a declining population. In the context of a likely mining boom over the next few years, species experts are calling for a global assessment of the impacts of this industry on the increasingly threatened deer.
“That’s what a good project is,” said Steven Guilbeault on Monday, authorizing the mining company Galaxy Lithium, a subsidiary of an Australian company, to exploit an open-pit lithium deposit in a region located about a hundred kilometers eastern James Bay. It is planned to extract nearly 5,500 tons of raw ore there every day for 20 years.
While evoking the need to exploit “critical minerals” for the transition, the Minister argued that it must be done “with strong mitigation measures to protect the environment”. In his decision, released alongside the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) report, he said the project will be subject to 271 “conditions” to reduce environmental impacts. It must be said that this could affect species at risk and wetlands.
In the assessment of its project, the proponent also specifies that the operation of the mine, which will require the use of explosives to extract 173 million tonnes of ore, waste rock and overburden, will be carried out in a region that is part of the “critical habitat” of the woodland caribou. Under Canada’s Species at Risk Act, this habitat is defined as “necessary for the survival or recovery” of a species.
“The proponent estimates that the project would cause a loss of critical habitat of 671.5 hectares for the woodland caribou”, including 417 hectares “of calving, post-calving and rut habitat”, can we read in the CNSA report. The shrubby and open peatlands, “comprising 64% of the area of the large wildlife study area” analyzed in the impact study, could in fact be frequented by caribou. “The proponent maintains, however, that this type of environment is very common in the sector and that females would prefer habitats further from the mine”, specifies the document. According to the impact study produced by the mining company, this sector would be generally “not conducive to meeting the vital needs of woodland caribou”.
“Disturbance”
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is of the opinion that “the project would alter the habitat of the woodland caribou, without however contributing in a significant way to the increase in the rate of habitat disturbance at the scale of the range. of distribution” of the species in Quebec.
The ministry specifies that the rate of habitat disturbance in the region would be 32%. He argues that below a disturbance rate of 35%, the caribou population enjoys “a minimum probability of self-sustainability” of 60%. “The local population in this range therefore has a probability of self-sustaining and is said to be stable,” adds ECCC.
The most recent data point rather to a decline. According to the proponent, it is the “Nottaway” herd that is “likely” to frequent the area. The AEIC report mentions a herd of 308 animals, citing data from 2016. An inventory carried out in 2022 by the Quebec government and published on Monday rather indicates a population of 240 to 282 animals, a “decline gradual” in the range of 8% to 28% over a period of barely six years.
Road transport attributable to the mining project could also cause disturbance for the caribou. We are talking about 218 crossings per week on the Billy-Diamond road, or the James Bay road. “The proponent indicates that this substantial increase in road traffic could increase the risk of collisions with caribou,” points out the AEIC. Added to this are the potential impacts related to noise and artificial light.
“The proponent estimates that in response to these disturbances, the caribou would deploy a strategy of avoiding the mining sector. Considering, moreover, the low presence of caribou in the large wildlife study area, the proponent considers that the significance of the effects associated with disturbances by noise and road traffic would be minor”, can we read in the federal report. devaluation.
ECCC nevertheless considers that the effects “are possible” and that the caribou will probably avoid this area, which is part of its critical habitat. The Trudeau government has therefore decided to impose measures on the mining company. “Before construction, the proponent must develop and implement an action plan to mitigate the negative environmental effects of the project on caribou, in collaboration with the competent authorities”, argues the office of Minister Guilbeault, in a written response. to To have to. In this context, the new mine is considered “not likely to cause significant adverse cumulative environmental effects”.
“Unjustified”
Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Quebec in Rimouski, Martin-Hugues St-Laurent fears the impacts of this type of project on an increasingly threatened species. “Based on habitat protection, the decision seems unjustified to me. But based on a political compromise, it can be justifiable,” he says.
“We are talking about the critical habitat of a species, and therefore habitat that is necessary for survival and recovery. If we remove elements from this habitat, we take away the leeway it needs to deal with other unforeseen events, such as forest fires, insect epidemics, and so on. adds Mr. St-Laurent.
He also criticizes the propensity to evaluate industrial projects without a real global perspective. “We allow the next ones one by one, which increases the rate of disruption. That’s what we’ve been doing for decades. »
A point of view shared by Daniel Fortin, full professor in the biology department at Laval University. The latter, like Mr. St-Laurent, criticizes the habitat disturbance limit of 35% mentioned in the AEIC report. “Even below this disturbance threshold, the Nottaway population is declining. It therefore does not have a 60% chance of self-sufficiency, but a 100% chance of declining. »
According to Mr. Fortin’s calculations, the mine’s impact on caribou habitat will be greater than indicated by the proponent. He evokes an area of more than 400 km2, but which does not take into account the other mining projects in the region.