Ring of Fire activities questioned by Environmental Commissioner

Ontario’s Far North is turning into a wild west free-for-all charges the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario.
Gord Miller is referring to hundreds of kilometres of staked Crown lands leading out to the region known as the Ring of Fire.
He said the lines being staked will be used to develop a railway line to a future open pit mine that will extract chromite.
Miller said the staking being done by mining companies “abuses the intended purpose of mining claims.”
“Unfortunately the Mining Act is ambiguous on this matter, stating only that lands, surface and mining rights issued under the act are to be used solely for ‘mining purposes’ and that staked claims are to be used as ‘mining land’ or for another purpose of the ‘mineral industry.’ ”
Joanne Ghiz, spokeswoman for Ministry of Northern Development Mines and Forestry (MNDMF), said the ministry is aware of the linear staking being done in the Far North.
She says the situation is being monitored.
“The Mining Act does not allow for staking that is not for mineral interest,” she said. “If we find that these claims have been staked for non-mineral purposes then the claims will lapse.”
Ghiz said a report will be released within a few months that should give the ministry a clear picture about claim staking activity in the Far North.
“Rail or road construction would require significant planning and permitting, so if they’re just staking a claim it doesn’t mean that it’s going to happen.”
Miller also said government is turning a seemingly blind eye on illegal construction of mining-related projects in the Ring of Fire.
He said the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) halted a Class Environmental Assessment (EA) process in September 2009 after a fly over inspection of a site west of McFauld’s Lake.
“To their surprise, the proponent had already cleared the forest and constructed the mining work camp and airstrip, which appeared to be in active use.”
Miller said the Class EA process was halted and a warrant was issued under the Public Lands Act.
The project had been evaluated as a “category B” project in which there is the “potential for low to medium negative environmental impacts, and/or public or agency concern.”
Miller went on to question what role MNDMF has when it comes to overseeing “mining-related development in the Ring of Fire.”
He said a “one window co-ordination process” gives MNDMF a lead role in mining-related development. The policy is meant to provide “an efficient, transparent and timely process for the review, permitting and approval of new mineral development projects.”
“This process is intended to be applied to projects: requiring multiple permits and/or approvals; requiring the involvement of more than one participating ministry; or triggering a requirement for processes under the Environmental Assessment Act.”
Miller assessed “MNDMF did not apply the one-window policy in this case.”
Ghiz said the one-window policy sets out “some clear rules, responsibilities that will help them (industry, First Nation, government) all work together. It’s a regulation.”