Directive for the Canadian Malartic gold mining project
After submitting its official project proposal, Osisko must begin a
thorough environmental assessment for its Canadian Malartic mining project.
The Government of Quebec, through its Environment Quality Act, strictly
regulates this process by providing a Directive that lays out the
requirements and reporting guidelines specific to the Canadian Malartic
project. This Directive is issued by the Ministère du
Développement durable, de l'Environnement et des Parcs
(Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks).
The goal of an environmental assessment study is to evaluate the
potential impact of any factors that could influence ecosystems,
resources or the quality of life of both individuals and communities.
The Directive specifies the nature and scope of such a study, and
provides the information necessary for its compliance with existing
regulations.
The Directive comprises two main parts: what the impact study must
include, and how it must be reported. Osisko's environmental impact
assessment must include the context of the project, a description of
the project and any waste or pollution it may generate, a description
of the receiving area, an analysis of the impacts and their mitigation,
the technology risk management and emergency measures, and the
surveillance and monitoring programs. This information must be presented
in a clear, concise and transparent manner, and the report must be
accompanied by a document written for the general public that provides an
overview of the project, a summary of the conclusions, and maps and
diagrams showing the extent of the project, mitigation measures and
residual impacts. The Ministère is responsible for reviewing these
documents and making them available to the public.