What 50 years of buried data tell us about Canada’s mining oversight – Policy Options

November 3, 2025

Canada’s fragmented approach to mining assessments has left regulators, communities and industry working with incomplete information as they head into a modern mining rush.

The global demand for critical minerals is surging. Driven by the clean-energy transition, digital infrastructure, and geopolitical shifts, governments in Canada are pushing to unlock subsurface resources. These minerals – like lithium, graphite, and rare earth elements – are touted as necessary for clean tech and national defence.

In the rush to skirt regulatory hurdles under the guise of building mines faster, industry and governments are increasingly seeking to avoid or streamline environmental impact assessments (IAs), which are required by law and allow the public, experts, and Indigenous groups to weigh in on proposed projects. However, our examination of IA processes over the years shows that, despite their challenges, they remain a key planning tool for protecting communities, ecosystems, and democratic accountability.

Read More: https://policyoptions.irpp.org/2025/11/mining-impact-assessment/