Source: MiningWatch Canada – Eau Secours – Coalition Québec meilleure mine
Quebec City – Today, Eau Secours, the Coalition Québec meilleure mine (QMM), and MiningWatch Canada released a first-of-its-kind guide addressing the impacts of mining activities on water, designed specifically to support collective action.
Informing the public about their rights in the face of mining is a key priority for the organisations, given that nearly 60% of the roughly 338,000 active mining claims in the province of Quebec overlap fully or partially with lakes and rivers. And, with the current boom in mining exploration claims, that number is only increasing. Nearly 140,000 of these claims were granted in the last two years alone, posing an increasingly serious threat to water reserves across the province.
This announcement comes during the Quebec Mines+Energy Congress organized by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry at the Quebec City Convention Centre. Two representatives from the Coalition QMM will hand-deliver a copy to the Minister of Natural Resources, Mrs. Maïté Blanchette Vézina, in the afternoon as part of an annual follow-up meeting. During this meeting, the Coalition QMM will reiterate its priorities for mining law reform, emphasizing the importance of establishing an effective and rapid mechanism for the withdrawal of mining claims, something which currently does not exist under Quebec law.
transparent information is a complex issue. This Citizen’s Guide seeks to lighten the burden of public activism. The tool has the potential to make citizens’ voices better heard by democratizing the technical and legislative issues of this industry, and by offering food for thought and suggestions for the development of effective grassroots movements,” Marc Nantel, spokesperson, Regroupement Vigilance Mines Abitibi-Témiscamingue.
“In recent years, the surge in mining activity has added to the long list of threats facing lake protection associations. For these mostly volunteer-run groups, there has been no reference document for understanding and responding to this disturbing new phenomenon. This is exactly the kind of guide that the member associations of the Coalition QLAIM needed,” Louis St-Hilaire, spokesperson, Coalition QLAIM.
“Our experience over the past few years has taught us that informed and well-equipped citizens can make a difference, but that it’s difficult to ensure that our health and that of the environment are respected: we therefore enthusiastically welcome the publication of this guide,” Nicole Desgagnés, spokesperson, Arrêt des rejets et émissions toxiques de Rouyn-Noranda (ARET) committee.
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Source : Coalition Québec meilleure mine
Related documents:
- Citizen Guide in (1) English and (2) French
- A map of mining claims covering all or part of the lakes and rivers in Quebec
Media contacts:
- Mathieu Langlois, Eau Secours, 514-588-5608, communications@eausecours.org
- Rodrigue Turgeon, Coalition Québec meilleure mine and MiningWatch Canada, 819-444-9226, rodrigue@miningwatch.ca
Attached file
Guide: Impacts of Mining on Water
SOURCE: https://miningwatch.ca/news/2023/11/21/launch-first-citizens-guide-impacts-mining
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