Permitting

Prior to initiating a project that may have environmental impacts, proponents are required to apply for and obtain the necessary regulatory approvals and authorizations, such as permits, licenses, notices of work, etc. This is to ensure that these activities are reviewed by technical experts, whereby assessments of potential impacts to the surrounding social and natural environments are evaluated and required mitigations/ conditions are thereby prescribed. The necessity for, and degree to which Indigenous consultations are required are also determined within these permitting processes.

Stakeholder Engagement

Stakeholder engagement strategies are fundamental to project life cycles. In order to build successful relationships with stakeholders, the journey must begin with open dialogue from the very beginning of project development. Understanding that it takes time to bridge cultural differences and gain trust, engagement processes must be meaningful and transparent.

Environmental Baseline Studies

Environmental baseline studies document pre-project environmental conditions and are a key component in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process. Environmental baseline studies involve extensive investigation of the existing aquatic, terrestrial and atmospheric environments within which a proposed undertaking intends to co-exist.

Closure Planning and Financial Assurance

Closure planning is a key process within the mining cycle, with four important objectives that must be considered:

• Protecting of public health and safety;
• Alleviating or eliminating environmental damage;
• Achieving of a productive land use, or returning the round it to its original condition or an acceptable alternative; and,
• Providing for sustainability of social and economic benefits, resulting from mine development and operations.

Our team’s experience in preparing Closure Plans and Financial Assurance estimates makes us well suited to prepare or objectively review Closure Plan and Financial Assurance documents.

Environmental Monitoring

Environmental monitoring is a broad term for the systematic sampling of water, soil, air, and plant and animal life. This service is key to all stages of the mining cycle and is used to establish baselines, trends and cumulative effects of projects. The determination of the required environmental monitoring is completed on a case-by-case basis, incorporating applicable regulations and client requirements.

Progressive Reclamation

Progressive reclamation is a widely accepted best management practice that we encourage our clients to complete. We prepare and execute Progressive Reclamation Plans for clients, with the aim of providing clients with the benefits associated with completing well planned and high-quality progressive reclamation on project sites, including:

• Reduction of environmental liability and risk;
• Reduction or a return of Financial Assurances;
• Positive effects with stakeholders;
• Reduction in overall final decommissioning costs;
• Reduction in closure capitals costs (if completed as a regular operating cost during project execution); and,
• Reduced indirect costs (e.g. prevent increased staff and consultant time due to a reclamation failure).