Mineral strategy falls short: watchdog group: Mining Watch Canada calls for special levy to finance mine rehabilitations.

• Author: Migneault, Jonathan
• Position: NEWS

Ontario's updated Mineral Development Strategy offered a few "glimmers of hope" by addressing abandoned mine rehabilitation, but is short on details, contends Mining Watch Canada.

"Over half of the report is just plain marketing facts for the industry," said Ugo Lapointe, the industry watchdog group's Canadian program co-ordinator. "There's no real substance to what this government will do."

Under a section in the back end of the 25-page Mineral Development Strategy entitled "A safe and environmentally responsible industry," the strategy acknowledges rehabilitating abandoned mine sites on Crown land as a priority, but does not offer additional details.

The industry watchdog group has argued in the past Ontario doesn't have the funds necessary to meet its growing environmental liability of mine sites.

While Ontario's auditor general has estimated operating and abandoned mine site cleanup costs for the province to be over $3.1 billion, MiningWatch estimates the number could be as high as $7.6 billion.

Past mine rehabilitation projects, Lapointe said, such as the cleanup of the Kam Kotia mine site near Timmins, have shown costs can more than double once the rehabilitation work begins.

Lapointe said mining companies operating in Ontario should pay a special levy to finance a province-wide rehabilitation plan.

While mining companies operating in Ontario are required to submit a certified closure...