The proposed Sisson Mine project is again under fire by environmentalists and First Nations communities in New Brunswick. “The Sisson Partnership” is currently seeking a permit opponents say will threaten local fish populations.
The proponent is seeking a federal amendment that would allow them to use a natural body of water for the construction of its Tailings Storage Facility.
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Conservation Council of New Brunswick executive director Lois Corbett said the company needs to be exempted under the Federal Fisheries Act and needs to get this permit called a “Metal and Mining Effluent Regulation” that would “allow them to destroy fish habitat.”
“What that really means is that the ecological footprint of the pit itself, plus the tailings dam, a huge thing, is going to have a significant impact on a series of fish-bearing streams and brooks,” Corbett said.
Corbett said the permit would have a profound impact on the Sisson Brook, McBean Brook, Bird Brook and west branch of the Napadogan Brook. She said that would negatively impact Atlantic salmon, Brook trout, American eel that spawn and raise their families in the brooks.
“I think that the citizens and the governments all knew that it was going to have an impact on fish-bearing streams and rivers, that if the dam broke, it would dump a lot of highly toxic materials into the Nashwaak River and ultimately, the Saint John River,” Corbett said.
“But [the permit is] putting a spotlight on the impact on some of our favourite fishing holes in the areas, like all of these brooks and streams.”
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WATCH: Maliseet First Nations occupy proposed Sisson Mine site
![Click to play video: 'Maliseet First Nations occupy proposed Sisson Mine site'](https://i1.wp.com/media.globalnews.ca/videostatic/11/931/SISSON_GRANDMOTHERS_(AD_TOR1AS5Q_848x480_1015797315837.jpg?w=1040&quality=70&strip=all)
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) will be holding a public consultation on March 15 at the Nashwaak Lions Club, in Stanley, N.B., to provide stakeholders with information about the proposed amendment and the plan to offset the loss of fish habitat.
Corbett said it’s a positive thing that the federal government is doing consultations, but said it’s hard to say exactly what the impact will be.
“It’s very, very difficult to dump toxic materials into a fish-bearing stream and not have a significant impact… the government does need to look at whether or not this is the best way to do it,” Corbett said.
Wolastoq First Nations Grand Chief Ron Tremblay said they knew the company was going to make tailings storage ponds but said he didn’t realize the proponent would be taking this step.
“It was shocking for one thing for me and our views and our philosophy in protecting land is the most important thing to us, you know, the protection of water and the fish and all that rely on the water, such as the beavers, the otters…. many of the animals and the amphibians who rely on the water system, not just human beings,” Tremblay said.
READ MORE: New Brunswick, 6 Maliseet First Nations reach Sisson Mine deal
Tremblay says it will be devastating for the water system and said the possibility of tailings dam breach would be life-changing.
“We have to stand together, our Wolukstuk and the Mi’kmaq nations along with the allies have to stand together to protect the water and the land,” said Tremblay.
Tremblay said he’s unable to attend the meeting, but said the voice of the people needs to be heard.
“This call-out from Trudeau, this nation-to-nation relationship with our Peoples, well… he as the leader of Canada has to start listening to our concerns and take them very very seriously because once water is polluted there’s no making it pure again,” Tremblay said.
READ MORE: Wulustukyik Grandmothers setting up permanent camp at Sisson Mine site
Sisson Partnership Response
In an email to Global News, Sisson Partnership Community Relations manager Greg Davidson said it’s important to understand this is not an application to discharge untreated mine wastewater into the environment.
Davidson said the company has carried out extensive community and First Nations outreach and consultation throughout the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process, and said they will continue these efforts through all stages of development.
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