Wilderness Committee finds 'destructive' mining in Nopiming Provincial Park

An environmental group is calling for a ban on all industrial activities in Manitoba's provincial parks.

The Wilderness Committee is making the call after it says it discovered extensive new mineral exploration destruction in Nopiming Provincial Park, about 155 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg.

Campaigner Eric Reder says in a statement that two new projects have been quietly approved near Cat Lake, resulting in new roads and clearing in intact forests in an area that's protected for recovering moose populations.

"There's a reason a park exists, and it's not for mining," said Reder. "A park is for nature, for animals, for our solace. It is not for destructive industry and corporate profiteering."

Reder says it's not clear if any environmental assessment was done before the destruction was permitted — adding it is Manitoba's shame that the province is one of the only jurisdictions in the world where parks aren't protected.

"The industrial operation in this sensitive area of Nopiming is going on 24 hours a day right now," said Reder. "It's outrageous they're permitting this in a provincial park and that this government is being so secretive about it." 

Precautions taken

A spokesperson for the province of Manitoba said there were several layers of approval for these projects, and noted that mining is not uncommon in Nopiming.

The spokesperson pointed out there are 29 mining claims in that area of the park with seven companies, and that mining at the park has been happening since the '50s. 

"Cat Lake is located in the resource management land use category, the main purpose of which is to permit commercial resource development or extraction," the spokesperson wrote in a statement.

The statement went on to say this kind of activity would only be permitted if it does not compromise the "recreation or access values of the land use category."

It also noted the site is located outside of the area set aside for moose, activity is only permitted outside of breeding bird season, measures have been taken to protect park-users and indigenous communities were consulted. 

"Mines Branch conducted engagements with potentially impacted Indigenous communities and a site visit was conducted."