In New Brunswick, opponents of the mining project, which is on Prime Minister Mark Carney's list of nation-building projects, say the proposal could do more harm than good.
Sisson Mine project added to List of Ottawa nation-building projects on Thursday. This designation means the mine will be upgraded through normal regulatory processes.
The proposed site is on Crown land near Stanley, N.B., and the project involves mining tungsten and molybdenum, two materials that can be used in shielding and battery applications.
In May, Northcliff Resources Ltd. received $20 million in funding from the US Department of Defense. accelerate the development of the Sisson project.
“The world wants Canada to be a reliable supplier of critical minerals,” Carney said Thursday.
But for environmental groups, the designation of major projects has been a disappointment.
“The mine itself will essentially destroy a lot of the land in the area,” said Beverly Gingras, executive director of the New Brunswick Conservation Council.
Receive daily national news
Get the day's top news, political, economic and current affairs headlines delivered to your inbox once a day.
Conservationists are particularly concerned about the 2014 British Columbia tailings dam disaster. Mount Polley Mine. The tailings dam collapse released more than 20 million cubic meters of wastewater and sediment into nearby waterways, posing a serious environmental threat.
“There are many examples in Canada and around the world where these types of projects fail, large ones, and the consequences are limited to local communities,” she said.
Possible consequences include what would happen to the region's wildlife and fish if something happened.
“This mine has one of the largest tailings ponds in the world, which will be located in the upper Nashwaak River system and will need to be maintained forever,” said Atlantic Salmon Federation President Nathan Wilbur.
“Corners were cut on environmental standards because the company suffered financially, so we are very disappointed that this project is being fast-tracked under the guise of a nation-building project.”
The New Brunswick government recently gave Northcliff Resources five more years to achieve outstanding environmental performance, according to an assessment done a decade ago.
“These conditions are critical. They need to be met. They need to be met to move to the next stage. So we are working with the Northcliffe team on those parts,” Premier Susan Holt said.
Holt adds that her government consulted with community members ahead of the announcement, and that interest in the expected jobs at the site is high.
“I get inquiries from people in Stanley and Juniper who want to know what jobs are available and when they will see these advertisements.”
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
