Public Services and Procurement Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada announced that following four open and competitive processes, they have awarded three new contracts and one standing offer for the Faro Mine Remediation Project (No. 92 on ReNew’s 2022 Top100 Projects list), totalling more than $57 million.
These contracts and the standing offer will significantly advance remediation design planning; environmental and geotechnical monitoring, including the assessment of the quality and flow of water on site, meteorological monitoring and engineering inspections of earthen structures. They will also advance regulatory support for the project, including addressing the application and review process of a Water Licence and the Fisheries Act Authorization.
“Our government is taking action to protect the environment, advance reconciliation and strengthen the economy in Canada’s North. These contracts and the standing offer provide the necessary, crucial next steps towards the full remediation of the Faro Mine Complex in Yukon. At the same time, they will provide opportunities for socio-economic development and capacity-building for local First Nations,” said Filomena Tassi, Minister of Public Services and Procurement.
The contracts have been awarded as follows:
- Environmental Monitoring Services (EMS) awarded to Ensero Solutions Canada Inc. for $18,157,561.40
- Remediation Plan Design and Support Services (RPDSS) awarded to AECOM Canada Ltd. for $31,705,000
- Regulatory Support Services awarded to Golder Associates Ltd. for $3,150,000
- The standing offer for Geotechnical Support Services was awarded to Tetra Tech Canada Inc. for $4,500,000.
Together, these awards build upon efforts already taken at the Faro Mine Complex, and will create and sustain long-term northern jobs while improving the environment for First Nations and local communities.
“These contracts and the standing offer will create employment for local First Nations and Northerners while advancing the remediation of the abandoned Faro Mine. Our government will continue to work in partnership with Indigenous and Northern communities in identifying opportunities and ensuring that local First Nations and neighbouring communities benefit from the Faro Mine Remediation Project,” said Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency and for Prairies Economic Development Canada.
The Faro Mine Remediation Project is one of the largest and most complex abandoned mine clean-up projects underway in Canada.
Once the largest open-pit lead-zinc mine in the world, Faro Mine was a major economic driver for Yukon and Canada from its opening in 1969 to its abandonment in 1998. Nearly 30 years of processing materials at the mine has left behind 70 million tonnes of tailings and 320 million tonnes of waste rock. Remediation of the mine is expected to take 15 years to complete, followed by testing, monitoring and care, and maintenance into the long term.
“The Faro Mine Complex was a fixture of Yukon mineral development for decades. I am pleased to see progress in the remediation of this mine through 3 new contracts and 1 standing offer. Environmental sustainability and collaboration with local First Nations, including job opportunities, continue to be vital components of this project. I look forward to the efforts of these contracted organizations to improve the long-term revitalization of the area,” said Brendan Hanley, MP for Yukon.
Featured image: (Public Services and Procurement Canada
