Question Period Note: Northern Contaminated Sites Program

N.A.

• The Government of Canada is committed to protecting human health and safety and the environment by remediating high priority sites in the North, through the Northern Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program and the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan.
• Through formal agreements with Indigenous governments and organizations, the Government of Canada fosters opportunities for training and employment for northerners, Indigenous partners and Indigenous-owned businesses.
• The Northern Contaminated Sites Program achieves significant economic opportunities with Indigenous partners which in 2024-2025 comprised 39% of expenditures, amounting to $173M spent with Indigenous suppliers.

The regulatory regime in the North has been modernized to strengthen oversight and enhance accountability for operators. A key feature of this modernization is the application of the polluter‑pays principle, supported by robust financial security requirements that ensure funds are available for remediation.
Cost estimates are developed in accordance with established procedures, and their level of accuracy improves as the project advances through the site assessment, planning, and design phases. The degree of certainty associated with these estimates naturally increases as project details are refined, challenges are identified, and the project continues to evolve.

Faro Mine Remediation Project
• The Government of Canada works in close partnership with the Government of Yukon and Indigenous partners to advance the long-term remediation plan at the Faro Mine.
•The Government of Canada is focused on obtaining regulatory approvals and managing immediate risks to both human health and the environment at the site. The Faro Mine Remediation Project’s environmental assessment decision was recently issued in September 2025, a major step toward readiness for active remediation. Giant Mine Remediation Project
• The Government of Canada works closely with the Government of the Northwest Territories, Indigenous rights holders and partners, and other stakeholders to advance the cleanup and remediation of Giant Mine.
• Regulatory approvals were obtained in 2020, which allowed Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada to begin remediation at the site.
• The new water treatment plant began construction in June 2023 with substantial completion planned for Winter 2026. Giant Mine Remediation Project Cost Estimations
• Cost estimates are developed in accordance with established procedures. The accuracy and degree of confidence in the cost estimate is commensurate with the stage of development a project has achieved which evolves over time as projects advance through the different phases. Minister’s Special Representative on Giant Mine
• The Government of Canada is working with Indigenous rights holders to understand the legacy impacts of Giant Mine and to seek a resolution.
• Mr. Murray Rankin has been appointed as the Minister’s Special Representative and is tasked with providing options for resolution to help address the harm caused by the Giant Mine.