(Quebec) Claiming to have heard the population, the Minister of Natural Resources and Forests, Maïté Blanchette Vézina, promises changes – probably legislative – in the file of mining claims.
“The current system needs to be improved,” she said in a telephone interview with The Canadian Press, days after admitting a 65% jump in the number of mining claims in Quebec.
Claims allow a company to have the exclusive right to explore the ground. The number of active claims on the territory has increased from 182,000 in 2021 to more than 302,000 as of February 28, 2023.
From the outset, the Minister announced that she would add public consultation days on the supervision of mining activity.
These were to end on May 19; they will continue on May 22 and 29, as well as June 5.
The objective of these consultations is to “gather concerns, ideas and proposals to promote the harmonious development of mining activity”, according to his ministry.
“Considering the enthusiasm and the number of registrants, I have the opinion that if people wanted to register, they registered, it’s important that they can participate,” says Ms.me Blanchette Vezina.
The Minister and MP for Rimouski says she respects the ongoing consultation process; yet she allows herself to intervene at this stage in the debate to “calm concerns”.
“I heard several people talk to me about the problems with the granting of claims, the support that is provided to cities,” she said.
“My wish is that people know that I have heard these concerns. […] We will have to review aspects, and that leads me to seriously consider amending the Mining Act, ”she added.
Mme Blanchette Vézina did not want to come forward on the specific measures she would like to implement to ensure “harmonious development” of the mining sector.
It does not undertake to implement the solutions proposed by the Society for Nature and Parks (SNAP), which deplored this week that 32 protected area projects are blocked by claims.
Moreover, the changes it wishes to make are not necessarily aimed at reducing the number of claims.
“It’s to better manage the allocation of claims and better support municipalities in their identification of the sectors they wish to protect,” said its press officer, Flore Bouchon.
CPAWS-Quebec urges the Minister to immediately suspend mining claims “for purposes of public utility” and to withdraw territories from the designation of new claims.
“A revision of the law should subsequently provide for the abolition of the obligation to compensate claim holders, in addition to putting an end to mining precedence.
“A moratorium on the issuance of new claims until such a review remains essential if the government wishes to stop the bleeding,” said the organization.
“Dazzling” rise
At the National Assembly last Tuesday, Québec solidaire (QS) reiterated that certain regions such as Lanaudière, the Outaouais and the Laurentians have experienced a “dazzle” increase in claims.
The claims are often in tourist areas, near lakes, rivers and resorts, according to QS environmental spokesperson Alejandra Zaga Mendez.
In his opinion, it is too easy to obtain a mining title; all you need is internet access and a credit card to pay the few dollars it costs.
Exploratory work is currently taking place in 20% of the claims, but only 1% of them are targeted by “more advanced” work with “impacts”, the minister then specified.
This work consists in particular of small blasting, the development of trails and logging, she explained.
During an arrest in March, Mr.me Blanchette Vézina had stressed the importance of continuing to search the ground for traces of interesting minerals that could help decarbonize Quebec.