Crawford Nickel Project

Welcome to the Virtual Open House for the Crawford Nickel Project!

Note: The virtual open house materials will perform best on a computer or tablet due to the large amount of visual and interactive material that we want to share with you.

The Virtual Open House presents the following information:

• Project overview
• Federal Impact Assessment (IA) and Class Environmental Assessment (EA) Process
• Project components and activities
• Purpose of and Need for the Project
• Baseline Conditions

Please provide your feedback and comments using these tools:

• Add a comment or identify a location of interest on the  Interactive Map  below
• Fill in an online  questionnaire 
• Submit comments and questions to  community@canadanickel.com 

Canada Nickel will be holding an open-to-all, in-person consultation meeting (called a Public Information Centre or PIC) targeted for spring 2024, to present the alternative means of carrying out the Project and the results of the Impact Statement, including the results of the various technical studies being completed to assess potential effects. Canada Nickel will also include a summary of comments and concerns provided throughout the Project and how they have been addressed and/or incorporated into the design of the Project.

Participants of the Virtual Open House are invited to join Canada Nickel’s team for the upcoming Public Information Centre. Details about this upcoming future consultation opportunity will be shared with the public and all interested parties in the coming months.

Canada Nickel is a Canadian junior exploration company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with exploration properties located in Northeastern Ontario.

Canada Nickel is proposing to develop, construct, operate, and progressively reclaim a new open pit nickel mine and processing facility, collectively known as the Crawford Nickel Project (the Project). The Project is located 42 km north of Timmins, Ontario (refer to Figure below); one of the largest cities in Northern Ontario and one strongly linked to the mining industry.

This new mine is proposed to extract and process critical minerals necessary to meet Canada and Ontario’s ambitious critical minerals strategies.

The Project is currently undertaking a Federal Impact Assessment (IA), which will be administered by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) under the  Impact Assessment Act . Certain components of the Project are also subject to Class Environmental Assessments (Class EA) through various Provincial agencies. Environmental permits and approvals will also be required in the future.

In addition to the Impact Assessment, four Class EAs have been identified for the Project pursuant to the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. Requirements of each Class EA will be confirmed as the Project continues to advance. Class EAs will be initiated through the issuance of a notice of commencement and will be focused on specific Project components, not the Project as a whole. Opportunities for consultation and engagement as part of each Class EA process will be available and coordinated by Canada Nickel in conjunction with preparation of the Impact Statement, as appropriate.

The  interactive map  provides a general layout of the various Project components.

The Project can be split into four Phases. A preliminary timeline for each of the Phases is provided but note that the commencement of Project activities is dependent on several factors, including timelines for Impact Assessment approval, Class EA approvals, and receipt of all applicable permits and approvals:

The three sub-phases of the Operations Phase are further described below:

Operations Phase 1 – Mining operations during this phase will produce more ore than the process plant can process, with surplus lower value material to be stockpiled in the East Stockpile location for future processing. The process plant will operate at a capacity of approximately 60,000 tons per day (tpd) (or 21.9 million tonnes per annum (Mt/a)). Construction will continue during this phase to expand the process plant (second phase of the process plant’s operation) and other supporting mine infrastructure, including the finalization of Highway 655 realignment.

Operations Phase 2 – Mining operations during this phase will produce approximately 240,000 tpd, which is double of what the process plant can process. The process plant will operate at a capacity of approximately 120,000 tpd (or 43.8 Mt/a). Lower value ore will continue to be stockpiled in the East and/or the West Ore Stockpiles.

Operations Phase 3 – Mining operations will cease (e.g., no further extraction of ore from the pits). The process plant will continue to operate at approximately 120,000 tpd (or 43.8 Mt/a) and will process ore stockpiled during Operations Phase 1 and 2. As mine operations cease, there will be an opportunity for progressive reclamation of the pits, haul routes, and other areas of the Project site, such as the Impoundment Facility.

The primary purpose of the Project is to responsibly and sustainably extract and process critical minerals, including nickel, iron, chromium, cobalt, palladium and platinum, contributing to the global supply of critical metals used in the production of various essential industrial and consumer goods.

A  Feasibility Study  has been prepared that confirms the technical feasibility and economic viability to develop the Project for the purpose of extraction, processing, and sale. No issues have been identified to date that are expected to materially affect the ability of Canada Nickel to extract minerals from the Project.

• Nickel is a critical metal with diverse applications in various industries, including automotive, aerospace, and renewable energy sectors. As demand for nickel and other critical minerals continues to grow, it is essential to locate a reliable and sustainable source of this resource.
• The World Bank states that the production of minerals such as nickel, iron and cobalt could increase by as much as 500% by 2050 to meet the growing demand for clean energy technologies (World Bank Group 2020 ^[2] ).
• Primary nickel demand is expected to rise at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.9% between 2022 and 2033, driven by growth in the stainless steel and battery sectors. Demand for primary nickel in batteries will grow at a CAGR of 14.2% between 2022 and 2033, consolidating its position as a strong second largest consumer of primary nickel after the stainless-steel industry. (Fastmarkets, 2023)
• It is predicted that while supply will meet demand in the short-term, a lack of new projects will result in deficits beginning in 2030 and widening to in excess of 300,000 tonnes annually by 2033 (Fastmarkets, 2023).
• Substantial part of the world’s nickel supply for stainless steel and batteries is sourced from China or China-owned operations in Indonesia, with numerous suppliers operating in opaque, unsustainable, and carbon-intensive ways.
• Carbon footprint of nickel production in the Philippines and Indonesia is much larger than Canadian operations and there is a need to expand current and future mined production of nickel, iron, and cobalt in a manner that does not come at the cost of the climate, environment, or society, particularly those communities directly affected by mining activities.
• Maintaining a diverse and secure supply of critical minerals is crucial for the stability of the global economy. The Project represents a domestic source of nickel and other critical minerals intended to meet the increasing global demand from the stainless steel and lithium-ion battery markets in the move toward decarbonization of the global transportation economy.

Both the federal and provincial governments have highlighted the growing demand and importance of critical minerals:

• Natural Resources Canada’s Critical Minerals List, released in 2021 ^[3] 
• Canada’s 2022 and 2023 Federal Budgets ^[4] 
• Ontario’s Critical Minerals Strategy, released in 2022 ^[5] 
• Ontario’s 2023 Fall Economic Statement ^[6] 

The Project will supply critical minerals, including nickel, cobalt, chromium, palladium and platinum. The chromium contained in this concentrate would make Canada Nickel the sole miner of chromium in North America. By developing domestic sources of nickel, the Project could reduce Canada’s dependency on foreign suppliers, enhance supply chain resilience, and contribute to national and regional economic stability.

The nickel concentrate that would be produced by the Project is expected to be sold into the North American battery production chain and the magnetite concentrate is expected to be sold to a steel melt shop as a primary feed for steel production in North America.

 Growth Plan for Northern Ontario , 2011 identifies the minerals sector and mining supply and services as an existing and emerging priority economic sector for which Northern Ontario has a distinct competitive advantage. Specifically, the Project contributes to the following Growth Plan objectives:

• Provides a new mining opportunity within the Cochrane District mining camp area, along with the additional mining supply, partnerships, and employment it will generate, while relying on existing infrastructure, workforce, and services.
• The Project is expected to generate hundreds of direct employment opportunities and would support many indirect employment opportunities in northern Ontario. The Project will have a peak workforce of 1,400 full-time equivalents and an average of 700 full-time equivalents over the life of the mine.
• It is estimated that approximately 60% of capital expenditures will be within Ontario, while approximately 25% will be within Canada and the remaining 14% of capital expenditures will be international.
• During operations, expenditures will occur primarily in Ontario (approximately 65%). Within Canada, an estimated 8% of expenditures are expected and the remaining expenditures (27%) will be international.
• The Project will be subject to a mining tax of 10% of the annual operator’s profit exceeding $500,000 (Ministry of Finance 2022 ^[7] ). Over the life of mine, the Project could generate over $5 billion in federal and provincial income taxes, as well as close to $2 billion in provincial mining tax.

Assessing the environmental impacts of a project follows a standard methodology; however, the scope of the assessment is influenced by existing environmental conditions, potential project effects, and information received from participating agencies, Indigenous peoples, stakeholders, and the public. The figure below outlines the general methodology to be followed for the Impact Statement.

The following section outlines the methodology and selection of VCs. Additional information on alternatives assessment, cumulative effects, and spatial and temporal boundaries can be found in the  Additional Resources  section

Valued Components (VCs) are elements of the natural and human environment identified as having scientific, social, cultural, economic, historical, archaeological or aesthetic importance. VCs are also tools used to measure the potential effects of a project on the environment. The ‘environment’ includes not only ecological systems, but also human, or social, cultural and economic conditions.

For each VC, the assessment methodology is structured to:

• Identify potential effects, measurable parameters, and potential interactions between Project components and activities and the environment
• Predict and assess potential changes to the environment and the likely effects on identified VCs (pathways of effects)
• Identify technically and economically feasible measures to mitigate adverse effects (i.e., avoid, reduce, restore, enhance) and enhance positive effects
• Determine and characterize any residual effects (i.e., effects following the implementation of mitigation measures) and, for potential adverse effects in areas of federal jurisdiction, determine the extent to which residual effects may be significant
• Develop follow-up and monitoring programs to verify the accuracy of the effects assessment and the effectiveness of mitigation and enhancement measures

Any key issues raised by Indigenous Peoples, agencies, stakeholders, or the public will be considered during the assessment to inform the determination of potential effects, identification of mitigation measures, determination of significance, and follow-up programs.

Based on initial Indigenous, agency, stakeholder, and public feedback provided during Phase 1 of the IAA process, and based on the requirements of the TIS Guidelines, the following VCs will be assessed as part of the Impact Statement:

• Geology and Geologic Hazards
• Topography, Soil and Sediment
• Atmospheric Environment, including air quality and light
• Acoustic Environment, including noise and vibration
• Groundwater
• Surface Water, including geochemistry, surface water quantity and quality
• Vegetation, Riparian and Wetland Environment, including plant species at risk (SAR)
  • Black ash
• Fish and Fish Habitat, including aquatic SAR:
  • Lake sturgeon
• Birds and Bird Habitats, including groups of birds and SAR:
  • SAR include bank swallow, eastern whip-poor-will, eastern meadowlark, Canada warbler, common nighthawk, olive-sided flycatcher, bobolink, barn swallow, short-eared owl, lesser yellowlegs, yellow rail, rusty blackbird and evening grosbeak
• Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat, including wildlife SAR:
  • Boreal caribou
  • Bats including the little brown myotic, northern myotis and tri-coloured bat
• Climate Change, including greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sinks
• Health Condition, including biophysical and social determinants of health
• Social Conditions, including community well-being and services and infrastructure as they relate to the social conditions of Indigenous Peoples and recreation (Big Water Campground and Snowmobile Trail)
• Economic Conditions, including employment, business environment and local economy
• Indigenous Interests, including Indigenous physical and cultural heritage, the current use of land and resources for traditional purposes, health, social and economic conditions, and the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Canada Nickel began baseline environmental studies in 2021 to support the Impact Assessment, Provincial Class EAs, and future environmental approvals / applications. Efforts have included a review of available background information, completing various seasonal site investigations, and consulting with Indigenous communities, agencies, stakeholders, and the public. Additional investigations and background research continue. The goal is to describe, measure, and document existing conditions for each VC where Project components and activities are proposed and where potential direct and/or indirect impacts may be predicted.

The Project comprises approximately 11,425 hectares (ha) (28,230 acres) of forested areas, wetlands, and recently logged areas along Highway 655 approximately 42 km north of the City of Timmins, Ontario. The nearest larger communities include the Town of Cochrane (35 km to northeast), City of Timmins (42 km to south), Town of Smooth Rock Falls (50 km to north), and Town of Iroquois Falls (50 km to east).

The Project is located in an area well-connected by local infrastructure. The Project is bisected by Highway 655 and an existing rail spur line connects Glencore’s existing Kidd Mine west of Highway 655 to the Kidd Metallurgical Site to the southeast of the Project site. Other local infrastructure includes a regional transmission line (500 kV), which parallels Highway 655 and extends from the Hydro One Porcupine Transformer Station located east of Timmins. In addition, a 115 kV transmission line runs north south along the east side of the Project. A hydro-electric generating station, Lower Sturgeon, is located along Mattagami River to the west of the Project site, within the boundaries of Mahaffy Township.

The following provides a snapshot of the information collected to date describing the existing conditions for each VC. A summary of baseline conditions is available in the additional resources section or by clicking  here .

• The Project site is part of the Blake River Assemblage, consisting mainly of mafic to felsic calc-alkaline volcanic rocks.
• Serpentinization of the ultramafic rocks has resulted in the formation of chrysotile within the deposit.
• The area has relatively low seismic activity and no earthquakes of magnitude > 3 having occurred in the past 40 years.
• Some soil surface erosion and gullying occurs along some slopes; however, no major ground or rock instability (i.e., landslides) were identified.
• Baseline geochemical characteristics anticipated rock to have low acid generation potential and low metal leaching potential.

• The Project is located in an area of gently rolling topography typical of the glaciated Canadian Shield.
• Site elevations range from about 265 and 290 metres above sea level (masl).
• Terrain mapping indicates that the dominant surficial material type consists of till deposits (i.e., sand, clay, loose gravel, and boulders) and glaciolacustrine sediments (predominantly silt and clay), then followed by glaciofluvial deposits (sand and gravel).

• Air quality monitoring data is generally consistent with what would be expected for a remote location.
• Baseline concentrations for particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, volatile organic compounds, silica, diesel particulate matter, asbestos, and metals were measured at low concentrations or below detectable levels.
• There are no anthropogenic light sources in the area, with the exception of vehicle traffic along Highway 655.

• The acoustic environment is relatively quiet and is comprised mainly of natural sound from wind, wildlife, insects, etc., with exception of some mineral exploration, recreational, and forestry activities as well as road traffic along Highway 655 and rail traffic to the south.

• Locally, groundwater is present at or near the surface in wetland areas, with regional groundwater flowing generally in a south to north direction.
• An esker located along the western edge of the Preliminary Project Area is likely a regional groundwater recharge zone.

• The Preliminary Project Area drains into the subwatersheds of the North Driftwood River, West Buskegau River, and Jocko Creek. Jocko Creek drains into the Mattagami River, while the North Driftwood and West Beskagau Rivers drain into the Abitibi River; all of which flow northward into Hudson Bay.
• The Mattagami River is approximately 3.75 km west of the Preliminary Project Area.
• Watercourses generally consist of slow flowing and low-gradient channels, with banks dominated by brush and grasses. Multiple beaver dams are present.
• Sampled water quality generally indicates circumneutral pH, low to moderate hardness, and have low concentrations of nutrients (i.e., nitrate, nitrite, ammonia) and anions (e.g., chloride, sulphate). Levels of total suspended solids and total dissolved solids are low.

• Mixed forest (29.5%), coniferous forest (28.1%), sparse forest (10.8%), and deciduous forest (7.2%), with 7.8% classified as cutover and 6.7% covered by water.
• 310 species of vascular and nonvascular plants were identified (including provincially rare plants).
• 89% of the identified plants are native to Ontario, and 11% are non-native species.
• Black Ash is the only vegetation Species at Risk identified during surveys, which is listed as a provincially “endangered” species under the Endangered Species Act.
• 28 distinct plant communities (upland and wetland) were recorded, including fens, bogs, swamps, marshes, and coniferous forests. Coniferous forest and swamp communities dominate the area.

• Local fish communities encountered during the three years of sampling are typical of northeastern Ontario and are generally characterized as cool water thermal regimes.
• 24 species of fish were confirmed through sampling efforts.
• Lake sturgeon (special concern under the Species at Risk Act) is confirmed present in the Mattagami River by eDNA testing; however, no other aquatic Species at Risk were encountered during sampling.
• Upper trophic level panfish (i.e., Yellow Perch) and sportfish (i.e., Northern Pike) species are found in the lakes near the Project.

• 89 bird species of breeding birds were observed, including various raptors, waterfowl, waterbirds, marsh birds, shorebirds, forest birds, and other land birds. An additional 24 bird species were identified incidentally during other surveys (e.g., migrating individuals).
• Seven bird Species at Risk have been confirmed in the area, including Chimney Swift, Common Nighthawk, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Canada Warbler, Rusty Blackbird, Lesser Yellowlegs, and Bald Eagle.

• 16 mammal species were observed during targeted surveys including furbearers (e.g., Beaver, River Otter, Lynx, American Marten, Snowshoe Hare, Red Fox), large mammals (Moose, Northern Grey Wolf, Black Bear) small rodents (Meadow Vole, Woodland Jumping Mouse, Red Squirrel) and bats (Little Brown Myotis, Silver-haired Bat, Hoary Bat, Big Brown Bat).
• Two wildlife Species at Risk have been confirmed in the area, including Little Brown Myotis and Blanding’s Turtle.
• While the Project is located in the Kesagami Caribou range, Caribou are considered absent from the Preliminary Project Area.

• Wettest month of the year occurs in July; driest month is February.
• Coldest month of the year occurs in January; warmest month is July.
• Downward trend in annual total precipitation of -15.6 mm per decade, with increased precipitation events in October.
• Annual temperatures are trending upwards by 0.2°C per decade, increasing in both summer and winter months.

• Collection of environmental media including soil, vegetation (some medicinal plants), water and fish and the characterization of chemicals of concern (e.g., metals) in these media has begun.
• Collection of social determinants of health data and characterization for each community where information is available has begun. These data include rates of sexually transmitted infections, injuries and chronic disease, rates of gender-based violence, mental health status, and other community-relevant health information, which are disaggregated where possible for various population groups (e.g., Indigenous, women, youth, and Elders).

• The local population in the area decreased 1.4% between 2016 and 2021; however, all First Nations communities have increased over this time (16%).
• 276 people were identified as homeless in the Cochrane District in 2023. Homelessness is experienced in the region more often by members of vulnerable groups, such as youth, seniors, Indigenous people, visible minorities, person with disabilities, and low-income families.
• Local communities are served through water and sewage systems, although water and sewer systems in some Indigenous communities are operating beyond their capacity.
• Recreation and tourism are an important industry in the region focused on the natural environment, including hunting, fishing and trapping, outdoor trails (e.g., hiking, snowmobile, ATV), and camping (including Provincial Parks and private campgrounds (Big Water Campground)).

• Total labour force participation rate (60.1%), with variations in labour force participation rates between men+ (63.7%) and women+ (56.5%).
• Participation among the Indigenous population was higher compared to the total population, as was the unemployment rate.
• Top industries for employment include health care and social assistance, mining quarrying and oil and gas production, and retail trade.
• Sales and service occupations make up the highest number of total and Indigenous labour force workers, predominantly women+ (61.0% of total population and 62.9% of Indigenous population, respectively), followed by trades, transport, and equipment operators, predominantly worked by men+ (90.9% respectively) and Indigenous (86.4% respectively) populations.

• Project is located within the boundaries of Treaty 9 and Métis Nation of Ontario Region 3.
• As per IAAC's understanding, interests and rights of the following Indigenous groups may be affected by the Project and for which an assessment of effects will be conducted:
  • Apitipi Anicinapek Nation
  • Flying Post First Nation
  • Matachewan First Nation
  • Mattagami First Nation
  • Taykwa Tagamou Nation
  • Métis Nation of Ontario Region 3
• Canada Nickel continues to engage with potentially affected Indigenous groups to understand the culture and history of Indigenous interests and rights in the local and regional area of the Project.
• Based on the Stage 1 Archaeological Assessment (AA) completed for this Project and based on feedback received from a 3rd party review of the Stage 1 AA, limited areas of the site have archeological potential, which will be targeted for the completion of a Stage 2 archeological assessment, where required.

For additional details on the following topics, click on the links provided below:

 Understanding the Approach to Conducting an Alternatives Assessment 

 Understanding the Approach to Cumulative Effects Assessment 

 Understanding Temporal and Spatial Boundaries 

 Details of Baseline Conditions 

Canada Nickel is committed to early, ongoing, and accessible engagement that is specifically tailored to the interests and expectations of all project stakeholders, communities, and Indigenous Peoples. Canada Nickel intends to manage the Project’s potential social, economic, environmental, cultural, and human rights impacts by responding to community concerns, honestly and transparently, while working to directly optimize its benefits.

Ongoing dialogue is a key to Crawford Nickel developing and constructing the Project in a way that positively contributes to the future successes of its neighboring communities. Our team will maintain, and seek to continuously improve, ongoing information and participation tools and activities aimed at supporting meaningful collaboration throughout the life of the Crawford Project.

Since 2021, we have been engaging with local communities and stakeholders to hear your thoughts on the project. Here is a link to what we have heard so far (please refer to available meeting reports):  https://canadanickel.com/sustainability/ 

Thank you for participating in Canada Nickels Virtual Open House. We look forward to receiving your feedback and comments so that we can consider and incorporate it into Project documentation, as appropriate.

We’d like to hear from you!

• Submit comments and questions to  community@canadanickel.com 
• Fill in an online  questionnaire  below
• Add a comment or identify a location of interest on the  Interactive Map 

Upcoming consultation opportunities:

• Open-to-all, in-person Open House, in spring 2024
• Click  here  to sign up to Canada Nickel’s mailing list
• Participate in the Federal Impact Assessment process  (Canadian Impact Assessment Registry)  and review of Class EA documentation through their respective processes