The Village of Burns Lake plans to write a letter to federal Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) in support of New Gold’s proposed Blackwater mine project.
While speaking to the council on Dec. 11 councillor Charlie Rensby explained that the environmental assessment process of the proposed mine is almost finished.
He also said that the gold and silver mine project could bring new jobs to residents of Burns Lake and other towns in the region.
The council approved Rensby’s motion to write the letter.
The project would employ 500 people and New Gold “is committed to maximizing local community and Indigenous employment,” company spokesperson Julie Taylor told Lakes District News.
The Blackwater mine project lies about 150 kilometres south of Burns Lake and over the mine’s life of 17 years is estimated to yield 60,000 tonnes of silver and gold ore per day, according to a feasibility study by New Gold in 2013.
Rensby added that the project would have accommodation camps so that local residents can stay on-site and not have to commute.
Until mid-December the CEAA was collecting public feedback on the project.
READ MORE: Feedback sought on environmental impacts of New Gold’s proposed Blackwater Mine
Toronto-based New Gold made several changes to its project plan in response to an Environmental Assessment (EA) working group including re-routing its transmission line to reduce impacts on wildlife, maximizing mine water recycling to reduce its water requirements and proposed extra mine water treatment measures before it is released into the environment.
The Minister of Environment and Climate Change will later decide on whether the mine project will cause any negative environmental effects.
Taylor said the mine’s construction start date was not yet known and added that the company hopes to have the final EA conditions in 2019.