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

Gold Canyon Resources Inc.
Springpole Gold Access Corridor Project
Final Environmental Study Report
provided and WFN stated that at this time they do not support the Project. WFN also expressed
concern that they were not invited to participate in the archaeological or biological assessment work
that was conducted on the Project.
Since December 2012, WFN, MNR and GCU have continued efforts to develop a work plan to fulfill
WFN’s consultation and accommodation protocol requirements. GCU is willing to provide
reasonable support for WFN’s on-going traditional use study to identify any sensitive sites that
should be avoided by the proposed road. In GCU’s view, the environmental protection measures
proposed for the Project are proven through many years of experience and effective to mitigate any
potential impacts. Thus, further environmental review of the Project is not warranted.
On 16 April 2013, a meeting was conducted in WFN between WFN, MNR, MNDM and GCU to
review the proposed Project. WFN presented a proposal to have an independent consultant conduct
a Traditional Use Study of the road corridor and surrounding area to allow WFN to determine
whether the road will impact their Aboriginal and Treaty Rights. WFN requested that the MNR,
MNDM and GCU jointly fund the proposal to complete the Traditional Use Study and these
discussions are part of the on-going consultation process.
GCU considers the risk of a sensitive site being identified on the eastern corridor through the
Aboriginal Traditional Use Study to be effectively mitigated to the extent practical for the reasons
listed below.
1. The eastern corridor was subjected to an archaeological study during this EA, conducted by
a licensed professional archaeologist who completed State 1 through Stage 3 studies as
needed along the corridor, all in accordance with prescriptive standards and guidelines for
consultant archaeologists from the Ministry of Tourism and Culture.
2. There was input by the other First Nation communities having local knowledge of the area
on the archaeological and biological assessment studies in the area.
3. The FMP Approved Road portion of eastern corridor was previously screened for the 2009-
2019 Trout Lake FMP, which resulted in approval of the same corridor for construction of a
primary forestry access road.
Even with a low risk, GCU would proceed with caution. If a sensitive site is identified by a traditional
use study, GCU will work with WFN to avoid or mitigate any impacts before construction
commences. In addition, GCU will follow the Chance Find Procedure defined herein (refer to
Definition of Terms and Acronyms).
GCU believes the Project may be approved now without risk to WFN interests for the following
reasons:
WFN has not identified any specific concerns about the Project;
the risk of a sensitive site being undetected and adversely affected by the Project is low;
the Project impacts have been well studied and representatives from the Protocol First
Nations participated in the archaeological assessment of the eastern corridor;
the mitigation measures outlined herein are well proven and will minimize the Project
impacts; and
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