This consultation was open from:
March 7, 2023
to April 21, 2023
Decision summary
An amendment Environmental Compliance Approval was granted to Goldcorp Canada Ltd., operating as Newmont Porcupine, in support of management of water within the tailings management area, located in the Township of Tisdale, City of Timmins (District of Cochrane), Ontario.
Location details
Site address
Lot 4, Concession 1, Tisdale
Tisdale,
ON
Canada
Site location map
The location pin reflects the approximate area where environmental activity is taking place.
View this location on a map opens link in a new windowProponent(s)
Goldcorp Canada Ltd.
666 Burrard Street, Unit 3260
Vancouver,
BC
V6C 2X8
Canada
Decision details
An amendment Environmental Compliance Approval was granted to Goldcorp Canada Ltd., operating as Newmont Porcupine, in support of management of water within the tailings management area, located in the Township of Tisdale, City of Timmins (District of Cochrane), Ontario.
It is approved that the nitrate (as NO3-N) limit be amended to a daily maximum concentration of 10.4 mg/L and a monthly average concentration of 6.5 mg/L as operated under the permitted effluent treatment plant (ETP) with discharge to an open channel to the Porcupine River.
The amended limits are designed to meet a new nitrate objective in Porcupine River (8.1 mg/L as NO3-N) which was developed in accordance with Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) guidance for deriving water quality objectives to protect aquatic life.
It is also approved that the total ammonia (as N) objective be amended to a daily maximum of 12 mg/L. The current treatment system includes effluent measurement/monitoring equipment and associated appurtenances designed to meet effluent limits and objectives prior to discharge to the Porcupine River.
Effects of consultation
On comment was received with following concerns:
- What is the rationale for the increase of nitrate (as NO3-N) limit?
- Has the proposal including the impacts during the event of tailing leakage been advised to the Indigenous communities?
- Goldcorp Canada Ltd. has agreed to examine the degree of contamination in a tailings pond leakage incident.
- It is strongly recommended to ensure the parameters of this proposal are detailed in such a way as to protect the livelihoods and health of the Indigenous bands, communities and wildlife/wetlands in the Timmins area, as well as ensure Goldcorp Canada Ltd. will be strictly monitored and held accountable.
Ministry response
- The reason for this proposal to amend NO3-N effluent criteria is that: In 2019 the Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA) was amended for the addition of lead nitrate to enhance gold recovery for Borden Mine ore source. Newmont Porcupine indicated the treatment plant effluent would be able to meet the monthly average limit of 4.7 mg NO3-N/L that was specified in the amended ECA. However, during 2020 the concentrations of nitrate in the effluent and in the receiver regularly exceeded the nitrate levels specified in the ECA and it was identified that the water quality model used to develop the limits had deficiencies within its mass balance. In response, Goldcorp Canada Ltd. (Newmount Porcupine) proposed a nitrate action plan that included development of a site-specific water quality objective for nitrate in South Porcupine River that is protective of aquatic life.
- This proposal has been advised to the four First Nation communities signatory of the Resource Development Agreement, as well as Métis Nation of Ontario Abitibi-Témiskamingue (Region 3) and Taykwa Tagamou Nation. The proposal, including the potential impacts during the event of tailing leakage, has been advised to the Indigenous communities.
- Newmont Porcupine is currently developing an enhanced seepage collection plan and the collected seepage will be returned to the Tailing Management Area.
- Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) guidelines were used to calculate the site-specific water quality objective (SSWQO) for South Porcupine River. The SSWQO of 8.1 mg NO3-N/L, which is higher than the generic Canadian Water Quality Guideline of 3.0 mg NO3-N/L for long-term exposure but protective of aquatic life, was then used to support amendment of the effluent limit for nitrate. A comprehensive monitoring plan has been imposed in the ECA, including monitoring of NO3-N in the final effluent discharge, surface water and groundwater, as well as overflows (if any occur).
Supporting materials
View materials in person
Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.
Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.
135 St. Clair Avenue West
Floor 1
Toronto,
ON
M4V 1P5
Canada
How to Appeal
This instrument decision can be appealed. You have 15 days from July 5, 2023 to begin the appeal process.
Carefully review the information below to learn more about the appeal process.
How to appealClick to Expand Accordion
Start the process to appeal
If you’re an Ontario resident, you can start the process to appeal this instrument decision.
First, you’ll need to seek leave (i.e. get permission) from the relevant appellate body to appeal the decision.
If the appellate body grants leave, the appeal itself will follow.
Seek leave to appeal
To seek leave to appeal, you need to do these three things:
- prepare your application
- provide notice to the minister
- mail your application to three parties
1. Prepare your application
You’ll need to prepare an application. You may wish to include the following things in your application:
- A document that includes:
- your name, phone number, fax number (if any), and/or email address
- the ERO number and ministry reference number (located on this page)
- a statement about whether you are a resident in Ontario
- your interest in the decision, and any facts you want taken into account in deciding whether you have an interest in the decision
- the parts of the instrument that you’re challenging
- whether the decision could result in significant harm to the environment
- the reason(s) why you believe that no reasonable person – having regard to the relevant law and to any government policies developed to guide decisions of that kind – could have made the decision
- the grounds (facts) you’ll be using to appeal
- the outcome you’d like to see
- A copy of the instrument (approval, permit, order) that you you are seeking leave to appeal. You’ll find this in the decision notice on the Environmental Registry
- Copies of all supporting documents, facts and evidence that you’ll be using to appeal
What is considered
The appeal body will consider the following two questions in deciding whether to grant you leave to appeal:
- is there is good reason to believe that no reasonable person, with respect to the relevant law and to any government policies developed to guide decisions of that kind, could have made the decision?
- could the decision you wish to appeal result in significant harm to the environment?
2. Provide your notice
You’ll need to provide notice to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks that you’re seeking leave to appeal.
In your notice, please include a brief description of the:
- decision that you wish to appeal
- grounds for granting leave to appeal
You can provide notice by email at minister.mecp@ontario.ca or by mail at:
College Park 5th Floor, 777 Bay St.
Toronto, ON
M7A 2J3
3. Mail your application
You’ll need to mail your application that you prepared in step #1 to each of these three parties:
- appellate body
- issuing authority (the ministry official who issued the instrument)
- proponent (the company or individual to whom the instrument was issued)
Goldcorp Canada Ltd.
666 Burrard Street, Unit 3260
Vancouver,
BC
V6C 2X8
Canada
Registrar, Ontario Land Tribunal
655 Bay Street, Suite 1500
Toronto, Ontario
M5G 1E5
(416) 212-6349
(866) 448-2248
OLT.Registrar@ontario.ca
Include the following:
This is not legal advice. Please refer to the Environmental Bill of Rights for exact legal requirements. Consult a lawyer if you need help with the appeal process.
Connect with us
Contact
Client Services and Permissions Branch
135 St Clair Ave West
1st Floor
Toronto,
ON
M4V 1P5
Canada
Original proposal
Proposal details
Note: This notice was originally published on March 06, 2023 for 45-days comment period. We updated the notice on March 07, 2023 to revise the proposal details. The comment period was restarted.
This proposal is for an amendment to the existing Environmental Compliance Approval No. 2446- BJ3KCG for Goldcorp Canada Ltd. (Newmont Porcupine) in support of management of water within the tailings management area, located in the Township of Tisdale, City of Timmins, District of Cochrane, Ontario.
It is proposed that the nitrate (as NO3-N) limit be amended to a daily maximum concentration of 10.4 milligrams per litre and a monthly average concentration of 6.5 milligrams per litre, as operated under the permitted effluent treatment plant, with discharge to an open channel to the Porcupine River. The amended limits are designed to meet a new nitrate objective in Porcupine River ( 8.1 milligrams per litres as NO3-N) which was developed in accordance with Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) guidance for deriving water quality objectives to protect aquatic life.
It is also proposed that the total ammonia (as N) objective be amended to a daily maximum of 12 milligrams per litre. The current treatment system includes effluent measurement/monitoring equipment and associated appurtenances designed to meet effluent limits and objectives prior to discharge to the Porcupine River.
Supporting materials
View materials in person
Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.
Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.
135 St. Clair Avenue West
Floor 1
Toronto,
ON
M4V 1P5
Canada
Comment
Commenting is now closed.
This consultation was open from March 7, 2023
to April 21, 2023
Connect with us
Contact
Client Services and Permissions Branch
135 St Clair Ave West
1st Floor
Toronto,
ON
M4V 1P5
Canada
Comments received
Through the registry
1By email
0By mail
0