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McIlvenna Bay and Red Chris among first five projects to move under Ottawa’s new framework

Prime Minister Mark Carney has named several mining operations among the first five major projects to undergo fast-track approval under Canada’s new Major Projects Office (MPO).

Key among them is the Foran Mining’s McIlvenna Bay copper-zinc mine in east-central Saskatchewan, operating in one of Canada’s richest mineral belts, which will supply critical minerals for clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and modern infrastructure.

Also included is the expansion of the Red Chris copper mine in northwestern British Columbia, which will increase annual copper production by over 15% and extend the mine’s lifespan by more than a decade, while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by over 70% when the expanded operations are in full swing.

Both projects include collaboration with Indigenous Nations — the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation in Saskatchewan and the Tahltan Nation in B.C. — underscoring the government’s emphasis on Indigenous partnership in mining operations.

The other projects referred to the MPO are LNG Canada Phase 2 in Kitimat, B.C., which would double LNG Canada’s output; the Darlington New Nuclear Project in Bowmanville, Ont. — Canada’s first G7 small modular reactor; and the Contrecœur Terminal Container Project near Montréal, which would expand the Port of Montréal’s capacity by about 60%. Together with the two mining ventures, these initiatives reflect the federal government’s priority of expediting critical energy and resource projects that underpin Canada’s transition to a net-zero economy.

Read more at: https://www.canadianminingjournal.com/news/carney-launches-fast-track-reviews-for-major-mines-and-energy-projects/