Working G

roup Review

irst Nations Consultation

rNo Timeline

Application Evaluated

for Completeness

30 Days

Application

Review Stage

100 Days

· Deter

> BC EAO Issues Section

· Proponent prepares draft Application Information

· Public comment period

· BC EAO Issues final AIR

3. Screening of the Application

· Proponent submits Application

· BC EAO screens Application for completeness

· Proponent supplements Application as needed

4. Analysis

· Application reviewed by Working Group

· Application posted for public comment

· Public comment period

5. Assessment Report

· BC EAO prepares Assessment Report

· Executive Director referral to Ministers

6. EA De

As

Application

Application

Fact Sheet―4.1 - 4.5 Assessment Process

This is a summary of the Assessment Process, which outlines the provincial and federal processes for assessing the Ajax Project’s envi-ronmental eff ects. In Canada, major projects such as transport, energy, and mine develop-ments undergo an Environmental Assessment

Fact Sheet:4.1 - 4.5 Assessment Process

―Key Facts

The Assessment Process is a comprehensive review that provides ample opportunity for public feedback and uses a scientifi c approach to identify impacts from the Project, and to develop ways to mitigate and avoid and potential eff ects.

Working G

roup Review

First Nations Consultation

Pre-Application StageNo Timeline

Application Evaluated for Completeness

30 Days

Application Review Stage

100 Days

Decision40 Days

1. Project Description Review· Proponent submits Project Description

· Determination that Project is reviewable: > BC Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) Issues Section 10 Order

· Public comment period

2. Scope of the Environmental Assessment (EA)· Determination of Scope and Process for Review > BC EAO Issues Section 11 Order

· Proponent prepares draft Application Information Requirements (AIR)

· Public comment period

· BC EAO Issues final AIR

3. Screening of the Application· Proponent submits Application

· BC EAO screens Application for completeness

· Proponent supplements Application as needed

4. Analysis· Application reviewed by Working Group

· Application posted for public comment

· Public comment period

5. Assessment Report· BC EAO prepares Assessment Report

· Executive Director referral to Ministers

6. EA Decision· Project Decision by Ministers > Certificate issued with conditions; or > Further assessment required; or > Certificate refused

Project Description

AssessmentReport

AIR

Application

Application

Certificate

(EA). An EA is a legislated process that enables the government to determine whether proj-ects are environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable and, if approved to pro-ceed, whether specifi c conditions should be placed on how these projects are to be built and managed.

Figure 4.1.1

Provincial EA Process

Legend

BC EAO Deliverable

Proponent Deliverable

KGHM Ajax Mining Inc.: Fact Sheet

4.1 - 4.5 Assessment Process

The Process

Some projects must undergo both a federal and provincial EA process. In those cases, the governments have an agreement that aligns their assessment processes and minimizes duplication. The Ajax Project is subject to this coordinated provincial-federal EA process, which it entered in 2011. In 2012, the Canadian government revised the Canadian Environmen-tal Assessment Act, which governs the federal EA process. Since the Ajax Project had already begun the federal EA process when this new legislation came into force, the Ajax Project follows the former Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

Starting the Environmental Assessment Process

The EA process formally begins when a proponent submits to provincial and fed-eral governments their project description that includes information such as the size of the project, how it will be developed, and the amount of goods the project plans to produce. After initial review, the provincial government issues an order stating how the proponent should assess potential eff ects, including requirements for consulting the public, govern-ment agencies, and Aboriginal groups. KGHM Ajax Mining Inc. (KAM) revised its plans for the project taking into account the guidelines it received and resubmitted their plans to gov-ernment in May 2014.

What Does the Application Include?

Once provincial and federal agencies deter-mine the requirements for their respective EA process, both agencies and the project pro-ponent work together to develop a document that outlines what the Application/EIS (the

“Application” is provincial; the “EIS” is federal) must include to satisfy provincial and federal requirements.

Stakeholders, Aboriginal groups, and local community members are consulted as to what

should be included in the application, and there are multiple opportunities for public comment. In the case of Ajax, a Community Advisory Group was established to receive public input, an activity not required by law. The provincial and federal governments then jointly provide fi nal guidelines for the application.

Preparing the Application/EIS

The next step in the pre-application stage is for the proponent to prepare the Application/EIS. KAM, along with the scientists who con-ducted the assessment, completed studies and compiled information according to the government-issued guidelines. The Applica-tion/EIS seeks to identify potential impacts from the project as well as develop plans to avoid, mitigate, or reduce those impacts.

KAM formally submitted the Project Applica-tion/EIS to provincial and federal governments on September 14, 2015. In December 2015, the government, with input from an indepen-dent Working Group that includes First Nations, determined that the Application/EIS includes all of the information required and could undergo a detailed review in what is called the “Applica-tion Review Stage.”

Application Review

During this stage, the complete Application/EIS is made available for public review. The provin-cial application review stage is 180 days long and must include one formal 30-day public comment period (the Ajax Project public com-ment period has been set by the BC EAO at 75 days). KAM is required to track and respond to all of the comments made by the EA Working Group, Aboriginal groups, and the public.

During the latter half of the application review stage, the provincial and federal agencies prepare separate reports summarizing the Application/EIS and any outstanding issues. These reports are referred, respectively, to the provincial Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Energy and Mines, and to the fed-eral Minister of the Environment.

KGHM Ajax Mining Inc.124 Seymour Street Kamloops BC, V2C 2E1

tel. (+1) 250 374 5446 fax (+1) 250 374 5443www.ajaxmine.ca

Decision

The provincial ministers have 45 days to review and decide on the Project. If the Proj-ect is approved, it will receive an EA Certifi cate granting Project approval on the condition the proponent receives all applicable permits and meets any conditions attached.

Federally, the Minister of the Environment will issue an EA decision statement that sets out:

• The Minister’s opinion on whether the Project is or is not likely to cause signifi -cant adverse environmental eff ects; and

• Any management measures or follow-up monitoring that the proponent must comply with.

Once the provincial and federal ministers’ decisions are made – and if the decision is positive – government agencies can issue the federal and provincial permits needed by KAM for the Project.

Questions & Answers

―

Will the Public Have an Oppor-tunity to Comment on the Application/EIS?

Yes, the public will be able to review the document in its entirety, as well as the Plain Language Summaries and the individual Fact Sheets KAM has prepared. There will also be a formal period where public comment will be tracked and responded to by KAM.

Who Makes the Final Approval Decision on the Project?

The provincial Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Energy and Mines, as well as the federal Minister of the Environment all have a say in whether Ajax receives approval.

KGHM Ajax Mining Inc.: Fact Sheet

4.1 - 4.5 Assessment Process