Back River Mine: Five Ponds Designated for Tailings

Summary#

These final regulations add five small water bodies near the proposed Back River gold mine to Schedule 2 of the Metal and Diamond Mining Effluent Regulations, allowing them to be used as tailings impoundment areas. The change authorizes the deposit of mine waste into those waters, leading to the loss of 4.7 hectares of fish habitat; the mine owner must carry out a fish habitat compensation plan. The regulations were registered on May 20, 2020 and published in the Canada Gazette on June 10, 2020.

What it does#

• Adds five ponds (grouped in a small polygon about 400 km southwest of Cambridge Bay, Nunavut) to Schedule 2 of the Metal and Diamond Mining Effluent Regulations, designating them as tailings impoundment areas.
• Authorizes the Back River mine owner to deposit tailings and some waste rock into those waters, which are frequented by fish.
• Requires the mine owner to develop and implement a Fish Habitat Compensation Plan (FHCP) that meets Fisheries and Oceans Canada standards.
• Requires financial assurance (an irrevocable letter of credit) so compensation measures will be funded.
• Government analysis estimates a direct loss of about 30.4 kg of fish biomass from those ponds, and identifies a target offset of 60.8 kg; the proposed compensation measures are expected to produce about 135.2 kg of gain linked to these amendments over ten years.
• Estimated cost to the mine owner for the full offset program is $403,000, of which about $6,900 is attributable to the specific habitat loss authorized by these amendments.

Who's affected#

• Sabina Gold & Silver Corporation, the proponent and mine owner, who will operate the Back River Mine and pay for the FHCP.
• The Back River Mine project and its contractors, because tailings and waste storage plans are affected.
• Local Inuit organizations and communities involved in consultation, notably the Kitikmeot Inuit Association (KIA) (which said it had no concerns).
• Fisheries and wildlife in the immediate area (ponds and downstream habitats used by Arctic grayling, char and forage fish).
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada, which will review and monitor the FHCP and compliance.
• Nearby seasonal sites and users (e.g., Bathurst Inlet / Bay Chimo area communities) may notice changes to local land and water use connected to the mine.

Why it matters#

• It lets a mining company use small, fish‑frequented ponds for tailings, which causes a measurable loss of fish habitat (small in area but locally important).
• The rule forces the company to pay for and carry out compensatory habitat work intended to make up for that loss. That means money, monitoring, and long‑term obligations tied to the mine’s operations.
• For local people, especially Inuit who rely on the land and fish, the change matters because it alters nearby aquatic habitat and triggers offset projects (the government says those offset projects were designed with local input).
• For the public, it shows how regulators balance allowing resource development with rules meant to protect and replace fish habitat when damage is approved.