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

Gold Canyon Resources Inc.
Springpole Gold Access Corridor Project
Final Environmental Study Report
On 23 November 2012, Cat Lake First Nation sent a letter to the MNR stating that they were still in
the process of reviewing the Draft ESR and not prepared to comment, but they were very concerned
that GCU was going ahead with the project and over-riding their process and community concerns.
They indicated that their response to the ESR would be forthcoming.
On 6 December 2012, GCU received a letter from Cat Lake First Nation, copied to the Ministers of
Natural Resources, Northern Development and Mines, Environment, and Transportation, as well as
the Grand Chief of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Windigo Tribal Council, Slate Falls and Lac Seul.
The letter stated that it was in response to the Draft ESR and the Springpole Gold Project in its
entirety. However, the letter did not offer any comment on the proposed Project.
Since December 2012, GCU has continued its efforts to seek meaningful consultation with the
Protocol Nations on the Project and also the negotiation of an exploration accommodation
agreement. GCU has also offered capacity funding to assist the Protocol First Nations in the
consultation process.
On 9 April 2013, the MNR convened a meeting in Slate Falls with participants from the Protocol
Nations to discuss the consultation process to date. At this meeting it was agreed that MNR and
GCU would be allowed to conduct joint open house style information sessions discussing the road
proposal in each of the three (3) communities of Cat Lake, Slate Falls and Lac Seul First Nations. It
was also agreed that a meeting would be convened between the Chiefs of all three (3) communities,
the MNR and GCU when the open houses were concluded, to report back to the Chiefs regarding
the comments received and any additional mitigation measures implemented by GCU to address
these concerns, and to receive any additional comments from the Chiefs on the proposed Project.
The open houses were conducted in Slate Falls on 27 May 2013, in Cat Lake on 28 May 2013 and
in Lac Seul First Nation on 11 June 2013. Attendance was generally good at these open houses
with attendances in the order of 15-25 adults, and an additional 15-30 students in Slate Falls and
Cat Lake. The information sessions were structured primarily as poster sessions, with MNR and
GCU personnel offering one-on-one discussion of the proposal with interested parties. Road
proposal and project update presentations were also provided in Slate Falls and Cat Lake, where
the information session participants indicated they were interested in a more formal presentation.
Comments were documented from the open houses and reviewed by GCU to develop additional
mitigation measures.
Upon request, a meeting was convened on 12 June 2013 with one of the trapline holders who could
not attend the open house sessions, to review the proposed Project and the exploration activities at
the Property. The trapline holder indicated that he had no concerns with the proposed access
corridor and indicated that he thought a road in that area would be good. After explaining that GCU
would not be able to allow anyone to use the road to access the area until it becomes a public
access forestry road, the trapline holder indicated he would still like a road there.
A meeting between the Protocol Nation Chiefs, MNR and GCU was convened on 8 July 2013 in Red
Lake to review the feedback from the open houses and further discuss the on-going consultation
process for the Project.
July 2013 Page 22