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

Gold Canyon Resources Inc.
Springpole Gold Access Corridor Project
Final Environmental Study Report
3.0 CONSULTATION AND REQUIRED APPROVALS FOR PROJECT
GCU has engaged in consultation with Aboriginal communities, non-Aboriginal stakeholders and
government to explain the Project and to understand their respective interests. GCU has adjusted
its Project in response to that consultation to avoid or mitigate any reasonable concerns identified
and to align interests where possible. Although the EA process is intended to reach a conclusion
with respect to consultation on a proposed undertaking, it is GCU`s position that consultation is an
ongoing process, and as such GCU will continue to work with interested stakeholders and identified
Aboriginal Communities during the life of the Project to share information on the Project and
respond to concerns. This document describes the on-going consultation process that has been
undertaken to date, which is regarded as sufficiently advanced to identify the concerns associated
with an undertaking such as the proposed Project.
3.1 Aboriginal Communities
GCU has engaged in consultation with Aboriginal communities with established or asserted
Aboriginal and Treaty rights in the Project area, under the guidance and direction of the Ontario
government. GCU is committed to continue meaningful engagement with the Aboriginal
communities beyond the conclusion of this EA.
In addition to the extensive work that GCU undertook to identify and mitigate project impacts
generally, GCU also consulted in good-faith with Aboriginal communities on the Project to identify
specific aboriginal interests. The discussion that follows summarizes the efforts to consult the
Aboriginal communities that have been identified by the Ontario government.
3.1.1 Cat Lake, Slate Falls and Lac Seul First Nations (The Protocol Nations)
GCU has engaged in consultation with the First Nations of Cat Lake, Slate Falls, and Lac Seul, who
were identified to GCU by the Crown in 2009 as the affected First Nations with respect to the
Springpole Gold Project site.
On 22 May 2012, Chiefs from the First Nation communities of Cat Lake, Slate Falls and Lac Seul
signed an internal protocol agreement, in which they agreed to work together for the purpose of
negotiations with GCU.
A Working Committee, with members from each of the Protocol Nations, meets on a regular basis to
discuss the progress of the Springpole Gold Project and the development of an agreement between
GCU and the Protocol Nations that would allow the Springpole Gold Project to be developed with
the support of the Protocol Nations, while respecting their Aboriginal and Treaty Rights. GCU is
engaged in ongoing discussions with this Working Committee.
Although there had been previous discussion about the possibility of an access road to the
Springpole Gold Project in 2011, the current access corridor proposal was first presented to the
working group on 10 February 2012.
A map of the proposed access alternatives was informally presented to interested First Nation
representatives after a formal meeting in Thunder Bay, and a copy was given to each of the Chiefs,
and to the Working Committee Chair for further deliberation and future discussion. GCU requested
an opportunity to present the proposal to the Working Committee in a more formal setting at an
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