Baffinland's new plan
subject to impact review
Company seeks Phase 2 approval for Mary River project
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Saturday, September 5, 2015
MITTIMATALIK/POND INLET
Baffinland Iron Mines is back in front of the Nunavut Impact Review Board.
The Mary River iron ore mine is located on north Baffin Island south of Pond Inlet. One load of ore has been shipped from Milne Inlet, although Steensby Inlet, south of Mary River, was identified in the company's initial plans as a shipping location.
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The company is seeking approval for Phase 2 of its Mary River mine project, which would see 12 million tonnes of iron ore shipped during an extended season of 10 months per year using icebreakers that would clear a path off the coast of Pond Inlet.
"In order to do that we have to go through an approvals process, which in Nunavut is outlined very well in the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement," said Greg Missal, vice-president of corporate affairs for the company.
Mary River officially started hauling ore in the third quarter of 2014, bringing it to the Milne Inlet port, where it was stockpiled and awaiting open-water season to transport to the European market. That shipping began last month.
That phase of the project was known as the "early revenue phase" and was approved in mid-2014, with plans to ship up to 3.5 million tonnes of iron ore per year with barges to be used only during the open-water season.
The impact review board got in touch with interested parties for their input on whether those groups felt that a review for the second phase of the project was required, and the answer that came back was yes.
"It looks like the majority of the groups believe that a review is required, which is something that wasn't a surprise to us at all," said Missal.
"We expected that type of feedback to come, so we'll be working with the NIRB and with the other regulatory bodies to work through the process."
Baffinland has gone through two environmental assessments with NIRB already. Missal said the project is very well understood by the North Baffin communities.
"An important part of what needs to be worked on now is moving through this NIRB impact review board process, which itself requires there be many public meetings and a lot of technical review by technical experts on what the company's plans are and what our proposed mitigations will be for the work we are undertaking," said Missal. "It will get a lot of feedback and provides opportunity for members of the public to ask any questions they might have."
Asked if Nunavut's regulatory process stifles the company, Missal said Baffinland doesn't look at it that way.
"We look at it from the perspective that's what the requirements are to develop a project like the one that we have in Mary River," said Missal. "There are very well-defined rules out there in the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement that guide us in the work that we have to do, and we'll make sure that we abide by those rules."
He said it's difficult to predict timelines, but it's Baffinland's hope that regulatory approval for the second phase of the project will be completed in 2017.
The impact review board stated that Baffinland must undergo the regulatory process because "the proposed project activities and amendments have not, to date been subject to impact assessment by the board and also have not been subject to full public technical review, public comment or approval by the various responsible authorities."
Stating concerns in submissions to the impact review board during the public commenting period on Baffinland's reconsideration request for its Phase 2 development proposal are the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, the Government of Nunavut, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Parks Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Transport Canada, the World Wildlife Fund Canada and Helen Gerson.
