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Project Update
The following provides a brief description of events occurring since October 2005, when Northgate submitted its Environmental Impact Assessment report for the Kemess North project. For more in-depth information on the project and status of events held during this time, please visit the following websites:
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050/viewer_e.cfm?cear_id=3394
BC Environmental Assessment Office:
www.eao.gov.bc.ca/epic/output/html/deploy/epic_project_home_226.html |
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September 2005 |
Northgate submits its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report to a three-person joint federal/provincial review panel (the Panel). The EIA describes in detail the research and analysis for Kemess North and presents environmental, socio-economic, geological and engineering data and interpretation relating to all aspects of the Kemess North development.
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| October 2005 |
The Panel officially releases the EIA report for a 60-day public comment period designed to ensure that the report meets all the terms of the EIA guidelines issued by the Panel. |
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| October 2006 |
Two public hearing sessions commence for the project and are held to provide interested individuals and organizations the opportunity to better understand the project and to provide their views to the Panel. The closing date for the public hearings is scheduled for December 14, 2006 after which time the Panel has 60 days to complete its recommendation report.
Transcripts for the hearings are available on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency website at:
www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050/DocHTMLContainer_e.cfm?DocumentID=0017930
Webcasts of the hearings are available at:
www.welcome2theshow.com/ceaa/ |
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| December 2006 |
The federal and provincial Ministers of the Environment (the Ministers) amend the schedule for the completion of the Panel review, providing for an additional period of 90 days, commencing January 1, 2007 to permit time “to resolve outstanding issues related to First Nations participation in the review process, and for First Nations to prepare additional evidence and submissions". Subsequent to this 90-day period, the Panel is also given discretion to hold further hearings for up to 45 days. |
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| April 2007 |
The Panel announces final public hearings to take place from May 14 to 17, 2007, in Smithers, British Columbia.
Upon close of the public hearings, the Panel’s terms of reference require them to submit its final report on the Project to the Ministers within 60 days. |
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| August 2007 |
The Panel indicates that the recommendation report likely to be completed and submitted to Ministers in September 2007. |
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| September 2007 |
On September 17, 2007, the Panel completes its review and submits its recommendation report to the federal and provincial Ministers of the Environment.
The Panel is satisfied, taking into account Northgate’s commitments and proposed mitigation and compensation measures, that the Project would not likely result in significant adverse environmental effects. The Panel also concludes that Duncan (Amazay) Lake is the only waste disposal alternative which is environmentally effective, and technically and economically feasible. In spite of these conclusions, the Panel recommends to the Ministers that the Project not be approved as proposed, but also acknowledges that the Ministers could disagree with the Panel’s advice and approve the Project. |
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| November 2007 |
On November 5, 2007, in the 3Q earnings release, Northgate announced that it was writing off its $32 million investment in the Kemess North project as a result of the Panel's negative recommendation.
Further to the earnings release, Ken Stowe, President & CEO, provided remarks regarding Kemess North during the 3Q Conference Call.
To view these remarks, please click on the link provided:
 3Q Conference Call Remarks - Kemess North Project |
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December 2007
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The BC Environmental Assessment Office reviewed the recommendation report from the Panel and submitted its recommendation to the provincial Minister of Environment. |
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March 2008
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On March 7, 2008, the Ministers announced their final decision to accept the recommendation report from the Panel, in which the Panel recommended that the Project not be allowed to proceed in its present form. The Ministers’ decision has no effect on Northgate’s financial performance in 2008 as the company wrote off the full carrying value of its investment in the Project in the third quarter of 2007. |
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