Marathon Palladium Project - Public Comments Invited on the Draft Amended Joint Review Panel Agreement and Terms of Reference for the Environmental Assessment

October 9, 2020 — Ottawa — Impact Assessment Agency of Canada

The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (the Agency) and the Government of Ontario are resuming the environmental assessment for the proposed Marathon Palladium Project, located near the town of Marathon, Ontario.

The project was subject to an environmental assessment by a joint review panel from 2011 to 2014. In January 2014, the environmental assessment of the proposed project was put on hold at the request of the project's initial proponent, Stillwater Canada Inc. The Joint Review Panel that was established to assess the project was also disbanded.

In July 2020, the new proponent for the project, Generation PGM Inc., informed the Agency that it wished to resume the environmental assessment. For this reason, a new joint review panel will be appointed in consultation with the Government of Ontario to conduct and continue the environmental assessment under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012. The Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario subscribe to the "one project, one assessment" approach to environmental assessments, which will increase efficiency and certainty in the process while reducing duplication and respecting jurisdictions.

The Agency and the Government of Ontario are proposing amendments to the Joint Review Panel Agreement and the associated Terms of Reference that were established for the previous Joint Review Panel. The document, once finalized, will set out the mandate and authority of the re-established Joint Review Panel, its composition and the procedures for conducting the environmental assessment process.

The Agency and the Government of Ontario invite the public and Indigenous groups to review and provide comments on the draft Amended Joint Review Panel Agreement and Terms of Reference.

Comments can be submitted online by visiting the project home page on the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry (reference number 54755). All comments received will be published online as part of the project file.

Written comments in either official language will be accepted on the draft Amended Joint Review Panel Agreement and Terms of Reference until October 25, 2020.

The Agency recognizes that it is more challenging to undertake meaningful public engagement and Indigenous consultation in light of the circumstances arising from COVID-19. The Agency continues to assess the situation with key stakeholders, make adjustments to consultation activities, and is providing flexibility as needed in order to prioritize the health and safety of all Canadians, while maintaining its duty to conduct meaningful engagement with interested groups.

As next steps, participant funding will be made available to assist the participation of the public and Indigenous groups in the environmental assessment. Members of the Joint Review Panel will be appointed in the coming months.

For more information on the project, the review process and alternative means of submitting comments, visit canada.ca/iaac.