Decision Statement
Issued under Section 54 of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012
Document Reference Number: 17
to
Glencore plc c/o Matthew White, Country Manager – Coal
Glencore Coal Projects, Canada
745 Thurlow St, Suite 2400
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6E 0C5
for the
Sukunka Coal Mine Project
Description of the Designated Project
Glencore is proposing to construct and operate an open-pit metallurgical coal mine located approximately 55 kilometres south of Chetwynd and 40 kilometres west of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. As proposed, the Sukunka Coal Mine Project would produce 3 million tonnes of hard coking coal per year for export to overseas markets. The mine life of the project is expected to exceed 20 years.
Conduct of the environmental assessment
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) commenced an environmental assessment of the Designated Project under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 on April 15, 2013. The former Minister of the Environment, under the authority of section 32 of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, granted the substitution of the environmental assessment process set out in British Columbia's Environmental Assessment Act for the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 process.
British Columbia's Environmental Assessment Office conducted an environmental assessment of the Designated Project in accordance with the substitution conditions set out in subsection 34(1) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 and submitted its report to the Agency on October 13, 2022.
Decisions on environmental effects referred to in subsections 5(1) and 5(2) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012
In accordance with paragraphs 52(1)(a) and 52(1)(b) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, after considering the report of British Columbia's Environmental Assessment Office on the Designated Project and the implementation of mitigation measures that I consider appropriate, I have determined that the Designated Project:
- is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects referred to in subsection 5(1) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012; and
- is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects referred to in subsection 5(2) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012.
In accordance with subsection 52(2) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, I referred to the Governor in Council the matter of whether those significant adverse environmental effects referred to in subsection 5(1) were justified in the circumstances.
In accordance with paragraph 52(4)(b) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, the Governor in Council decided that the significant adverse environmental effects referred to in subsection 5(1) that the Designated Project is likely to cause are not justified in the circumstances.
Issuance
This Decision Statement is issued in Ottawa, Ontario by:
<Original signed by>
______________________________
The Honourable Steven Guilbeault
Minister of the Environment
Date : December 21, 2022