Scale and pace of activities are overwhelming sensitive ecosystems & communities
Key Messages:
- Mining claims have increased by more than 28% in number and 30% in area in the Ring of Fire since last year
- Over 31,000 claims are now registered by companies encompassing over 626,000 ha, equivalent to almost 10 times the size of the city of Toronto or double the Greater Sudbury area
- This is the highest # of claims in last 6 years
- Juno corp. holds the most claims in region with >17,000 covering >333,000 ha
- Claim registering happens without the consent of Indigenous peoples and without environmental review in Ontario
- The scale and pace of development activities are overwhelming ecosystems and communities
- In these sensitive wetlands, exploration activities are intrusive and damaging resulting in permanent scars
- If only 3% of the Ring of Fire were to be developed that would undo almost all of climate gains Canada has made from 2005 to 2021
TORONTO – There has been a surge of mining claims registered in the Ring of Fire increasing 30% in area since last year. The area covered by claims is now equivalent to 10 times the size of the City of Toronto or double the Greater Sudbury area.
“I flew over the Ring of Fire again this summer and the footprint is sprawling,” said Janet Sumner Executive Director for Wildlands League, a leading not for profit conservation group.
Claim registering happens without the consent of Indigenous peoples and without environmental review in Ontario. Exploration activities are occurring in sensitive forests and wetlands resulting in permanent scars.
“These damaging and intrusive activities are also causing a loss of carbon that is currently not accounted for by either Ontario or the Canadian government,” Sumner said. The group has been tracking activities here for over 15 years including monitoring environmental assessments. Wildlands League has also observed that more than 40 exploration permits have also been approved here in last 2 years.
“It’s time for a pause,” says Anna Baggio, Conservation Director for the group. “Communities are telling us they are overwhelmed and we’ve seen for ourselves just how damaging these activities are here. They aren’t temporary; they are permanent,” added Baggio.
“Moreover, it’s shocking that an antiquated system is allowing mining to be privileged over a globally significant carbon store, healthy intact watersheds and Indigenous lands,” said Baggio.
For more information please contact:
Anna Baggio, Director, Conservation 416-453-3285 mobile or by email anna (insert at symbol) wildlandsleague.org
