Revised Final Environmental Study Report (24 MB) - Gold Canyon ...

Gold Canyon Resources Inc.
Springpole Gold Project
Road Alternatives Assessment
calving caribou were surveyed for a four year period pre- and post- development of a road. The
development of the road was found to have a statistically significant effect on calving caribou,
resulting in fewer calving caribou being found near the road after construction than before
construction. The degree of use by caribou of the areas adjacent to the road after construction
was found to vary depending on the amount of human use of the road. Despite the lowered
degree of usage of areas adjacent to the road, the overall number of caribou in the area and
overall calving rate remained relatively constant. The study goes on to suggest that the low
density of caribou on the calving grounds allowed for the use of alternative calving areas.
However, other studies have shown that caribou mortality increases in close proximity to linear
corridors due to increased encounter rates between wolves and caribou (James and Smith
2000).
Once all of the caribou habitat information and caribou location data was considered in relation
to the potential road corridors, it was determined that there were two specific locations that had
the potential to negatively impact caribou. These locations were at Dead Dog Lake
(calving/post-calving), and in the area north of the eastern arm of Springpole Lake (winter,
calving/post-calving). Caribou collar data revealed that Dead Dog Lake had been used as a
calving lake during 2012. In order to avoid any negative impact to this calving area, the eastern
road corridor was shifted further east, away from the lake. The area to the north of the eastern
arm of Springpole Lake was also used as a calving/post-calving area by a collared caribou in
2012. The options for avoiding the negative impacts to this area through road location are
limited due to the fact that there are limited options with regard to road placement in this
location. The road must extend from the eastern end of Springpole Lake to the current location
of the exploration camp at the northern end of Springpole Lake, thereby, requiring the road to
traverse through the calving/post-calving area. Additional mitigation strategies for both areas
would involve road building in the winter to reduce disturbance during calving, restricted use of
the road, signage regarding low rates of speed in the area, and following all MNR best
management practices.
Early Winter
As previously mentioned, the area immediately south of Springpole Lake is considered a
caribou wintering area, as evidenced by the historical sightings of caribou in that area during the
winter. The current functionality of this area to provide winter habitat is questionable based on
the fact that a large fire burned this area in 2011. According to the caribou collar data, none of
the collared caribou used this area during early winter following the fire of 2011. At least four of
the collared animals spent time in the RSA during early winter, however, no collared animals
were within 15 km of Road Option A. The construction of road Option A is not expected to have
any negative environmental effect on any of these early wintering areas.
The following sections outline further determination of potential environmental effects to caribou
following the Interim Policy Guidance for Assessing Development Proposals in the Continuous
Distribution for Caribou in Ontario (OMNR 2012). For the purposes of this report, the
“development proposal” in question refers to the construction and use of a winter road extending