LandKeepers News Archive
Prosperity review funding agreements have yet to be signed
April 07 2009 | News Articles | Williams Lake Tribune
Prosperity review funding agreements have yet to be signed
By Erin Hitchcock – Williams Lake Tribune
April 07, 2009
Funding has been awarded to various groups to participate in the environmental review of the Prosperity mine project, but the money has yet to change hands.
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, through its participant funding program, has awarded a total of $82,250 to four applicants to support their participation in the panel review of the project through the regular funding envelope, and another $470,400 to four First Nations groups to participate through the aboriginal funding envelope.
Through the regular funding envelope, the Share Cariboo-Chilcotin Resources Society will receive $5,050; Friends of Nemaiah Valley will receive $25,000; Williams Lake and District Chamber of Commerce will receive $15,000; and Mining Watch Canada will receive $37,200.
Through the aboriginal funding envelope, Esketemc First Nation will receive $75,000; Williams Lake Indian Band will receive $41,931; Tsilhqot’in National Government will receive $300,000; and Canoe Creek Indian Band will receive $53,469.
The proposed gold and copper mine project, if approved, would be built about 125 kilometres southwest of Williams Lake. The open pit mine development would have a 20-year operating life and would be developed on the site of Fish Lake.
Both the BC Environmental Assessment Office and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency are reviewing the project and will submit reports to the appropriate provincial and federal ministers for a decision.
The funding from the participant funding programs was announced March 3, but won’t be dispersed until funding agreements are signed between the recipients and the federal government, says Lucille Jamault, senior communications advisor for the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. The signing of those agreements is currently underway, she says.
Once signed, the recipients will then be able to send in receipts to be reimbursed for amounts up to their respective funding amounts.
Jamault says each group applying for funding needs to meet a specific criteria. For example, groups need to have an interest in the project, such as living in the project area or owning property in the project area, having community or aboriginal knowledge, or having expert information relevant to the environmental assessment process.
Jamault adds that an independent funding review committee is set up to review applications and decide how much is appropriate to give out to each group.
“That’s done separately by an independent group,” she said, noting that the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency doesn’t decide who gets funding.
Once those funding decisions were made, a report went out for aboriginal funding and for regular funding, which is posted on the agency’s website.
For regular funding, financial assistance is made available to members of the public, including not-for-profit groups or aboriginal groups, in order to participate in the public consultations.
Aboriginal funding is provided specifically to aboriginal groups to assist them in preparing for and participating in aboriginal consultation activities and public consultation opportunities.
Expenses groups can be reimbursed for include hiring experts to review technical information or travelling to a public hearing held by the review panel, for example.
She notes that while aboriginal groups are eligible to apply for both envelopes, they can only receive funding under one envelope.
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