A local mining observer and former mining analyst is arguing that greater emphasis needs to be put on the Yukon government's new minerals legislation that has been in the works in the Yukon.
Lewis Rifkind, who recently retired after decades working for the Yukon Conservation Society, told participants of the Yukon NDP’s virtual panel about mining on Jan. 23 that it will be a “couple more years” before the final product is laid out.
The NDP held its videoconference event while boycotting a major mining event in Vancouver attended by other politicians in the Yukon Party and Yukon Liberals, Yukon government representatives, First Nations representatives and mining industry representatives.
Panellists spoke about the development of the new minerals legislation during the NDP’s talk, which the party said had more than 100 virtual participants.
“It's sort of happening behind closed doors. There's delays. We're going to see an election happen. You know, there's all these reasons to put off these new mining legislation and associated regulations, and that's not appropriate,” Rifkind said of the new legislation.
“We're dealing with laws and regulations that are a century old, and we've seen the results.”
Rifkind said new mineral legislation might be perceived as “tougher, more rigorous” but it also gives more certainty to the mining industry.
“Once you get a really tough legislative and regulatory regime in place, if industry can meet it, they are happy because, you know, they know the playing field has been organized for them,” he said.
“They know the rules.”
During the NDP-run panel, First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun (FNNND) Chief Dawna Hope reiterated that FNNND called for a halt on mining in the wake of the landslide at Victoria Gold Corp.’s Eagle Gold Mine. On June 24, 2024, millions of tonnes of cyanide-laden earth and rock slipped as part of a heap leach facility failure at the mine site. A court-appointed receiver has taken over the site. Some concerns have been raised about the impacts on the land, animals and people of cyanide in the water.
“But I just wanted to clarify that ultimately we know that we need mining,” Hope said.
Hope believes in “striving to do our best” when it comes to mining practices that consider the impact on lands, flora and fauna. She indicated her community relies on mining for the cars it drives, computers it uses and business it does while living hundreds of kilometres away from the centralized base in Whitehorse, where meetings take place and groceries are bought at times.
“We should be respecting those resources for their true value, and not just for a handful of people to just make millions upon millions and then walk away, leaving taxpayers with the clean-up bill and a toxic generational legacy that I have to pass on to my generations,” she said.
“Ultimately, we don't want to stop mining.”
Hope wants to change the perception of mining.
She hopes to aim for the best practices with the least impact negative environmental impact.
“If modern treaties like Yukon final agreements were implemented and recognized in the spirit and intent of the signing of those agreements, the Yukon would ultimately be rich in benefits and hold resources to their true value,” Hope said.
“Mining is not going anywhere, but neither are we.”
Rifkind suggested there’s too much emphasis on mining overall.
“I think the approach should be more mining, if necessary, but not necessarily mining,” he said.
One way to implement that approach is through long-term land-use planning, per Rifkind.
“We are woefully behind on land-use planning,” he said.
“Once we've figured out what the land can be used for and we can then decide where mining could perhaps occur, that would get rid of a lot of the short-term conflicts we're seeing at the moment.”
Land-use planning protects the land and animals, according to Rifkind. He noted it involves assigning priorities to certain types of land.
“Land isn't necessarily turned into parks,” he said.
“It can be used for other industrial uses, not as destructive as mining."
During her party’s online event, Yukon NDP Leader Kate White recognized the two-year timeline in the 2021 confidence and supply deal, or CASA, that she signed with the Yukon Liberals wasn’t realistic to develop and implement successor legislation. The NDP continues propping up the government, keeping the Liberals in power, through CASA.
"I didn't think it could happen in two years,” she said.
The three panellists generally agreed that more “enforceable” rules and regulations are needed for the mining sector.
White appreciates that First Nations, industry and environmental representatives are all still working on the future of mining.
The day after the talk, White told the News how little she knows about how much of the Yukon government’s latest special warrant is going towards Eagle Gold Mine disaster response.
White said special warrants aren’t unusual and can be positive. White noted how regularly the Yukon Party used to authorize government spending outside of the regular budget cycle using special warrants when it was in power, like the Liberals have announced they are doing — again. The Liberals issued a special warrant for tens of millions during winter 2024, too.
White needs more details in this case.
The Yukon government’s press release states $51.8 million in operations and maintenance will be going to the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources. The money will allow the department to “continue to deliver on major commitments during this fiscal year” including as part of the loan to PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc., the court-appointed receiver for Victoria Gold, per the release.
On Jan. 24, the Yukon government issued a press release to draw attention to its presence and purpose at major mining conferences in Vancouver this past week.
“In the Yukon, we acknowledge the pivotal role that mining plays in our economy and communities, understanding how responsible mineral development can foster our growth while contributing to the global shift to a cleaner future,” Premier Ranj Pillai said in the release.
“Our government remains dedicated in its commitment to close collaboration with both industry and First Nations governments, aiming to strengthen the Yukon’s position as a global leader in mineral exploration.”
The release describes Association for Mineral Exploration’s Roundup as “the world’s premier technical mineral exploration conference.”
“We were at Roundup to have face-to-face meetings with industry representatives and First Nations governments to chart the future for mining in the Yukon,” Energy, Mines and Resources Minister John Streicker is quoted saying in the release.
“With a growing demand for critical minerals, mining provides an opportunity for the territory to play a meaningful role in the clean-energy transition. Our government supports a strong, sustainable and responsible mining industry.”
Conference organizers announced to the media that Roundup hosted a record of more than 6,630 delegates, including those from the Yukon.
Pillai attended the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference (VRIC), which the government release said “brings together leading experts, investors and companies in the resource investment sector.” The release refers to VRIC as “one of the largest mining investment conferences in the world.”
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com