Question Period Note: Baffinland - Mary River Project

Baffinland - Mary River Project

Protecting the marine environment and marine mammals is a top priority, which is why we are ensuring projects are thoroughly assessed.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada ensured that conditions are in place to protect the environment and marine mammals in Phase 1 of the project and is also participating in the review of the potential impacts of the Phase 2 development proposal.

DFO is working alongside other stakeholders and Inuit organizations and communities to better understand the potential impacts.

• Once the public hearings have concluded and the public record has closed the Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB) will have 45 days to issue an environmental assessment (EA) report to the responsible Ministers for decision. The decision by responsible ministers to accept, reject or vary the NIRB’s recommendation must subsequently be communicated to the NIRB in writing within 90 150 days of receiving the EA report.
• The NIRB’s extended public hearings concluded on November 6, 2021
• On April 14, 2021, the extended Public Hearing, which started on April 12, 2021, was suspended due to a positive Covid-19 case in Iqaluit.
• On March 16, 2021, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) announced it is not prepared to support the Phase 2 Development Proposal. The decision is based on technical and procedural concerns with the EA. NTI would like more Inuit knowledge included in the assessment. NTI staff participated in the extended public hearing and continued to try to resolve these issues.
• On March 5, 2021, the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) announced it will not support the Phase 2 development proposal. The announcement comes after the QIA’s board discussed limited incorporation of Inuit traditional knowledge, the expansion’s impacts on wildlife, including caribou, seal and narwhal, as well as dust produced by mining activities. The next day, Baffinland stated that it will continue community outreach and seek to meet the QIA and others as soon as practicable to discuss a path forward.
• The Public Hearing for the phase 2 development proposal resumed on January 26, 2021, and was scheduled to continue for two weeks. On February 1, 2021, the Mittimatalik Hunters and Trappers Organization proposed to extend the hearing after it fell multiple days behind schedule.
• DFO’s Final Written Submission, dated January 15, 2021, states that impacts on freshwater can be mitigated. DFO remains concerned that the impacts to marine mammals from project related shipping activities may not be fully mitigated or avoided. However, the extent of these impacts cannot be defined. Thus, robust monitoring and the commitment to adaptive management is crucial to the protection of the marine mammals should the project proceed.
• DFO remains concerned that impacts from ballast water are still possible, thus proposed mitigation and monitoring is crucial to the prevention of an introduction of non-indigenous species and aquatic invasive species. DFO has made recommendations for the NIRB to consider as it drafts the project Terms and Conditions, should Phase 2 be approved.
• The Phase 2 development proposal includes the construction and operation of a second ore dock capable of berthing Cape-size ore carriers, construction of the North Railway consisting of four bridges and 417 culverts, additional crossings along the Milne Inlet Tote Road, an increase up to 12 Mt/year of iron ore from the project site and transportation of this ore via the North Railway to Milne Port, and increased shipping activities through Milne Inlet to facilitate the transport of the increased ore.

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