The Government of Canada has determined the significant adverse environmental effects of Glencore’s proposed Sukunka Coal Mine Project, an open-pit metallurgical coal mine located near Tumbler Ridge, BC, cannot be mitigated and therefore will not proceed. The project had planned to produce 3 million tonnes of hard coking coal per year for export to overseas markets for at least the next 20 years. The British Columbia’s Environmental Assessment Office conducted the environmental assessment and the Decision Statement was issued by the federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada to this effect under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012. The Assessment Report concluded that the project would have adverse impacts on species at risk, and on the physical and cultural heritage, current use of lands and resources for traditional purposes and health and socio-economic conditions of Indigenous peoples due to the potential discharge of mercury and selenium into local waterbodies.
