Atlantic Gold’s imaginary conservation land

In 2008, Atlantic Gold was given provincial approval for the gigantic Touquoy open pit gold mine with the condition that within 4 years the company buy and give the province nearby land for conservation purposes. 13 years later, that condition is still unmet, and the province is making no real effort to enforce it.

Jamie Simpson says there is certainly irony in this plan — be it as yet unfulfilled — for Atlantic Gold to procure conservation lands, given what the province has not done to protect Owls Head Park, a “globally rare” ecosystem on the Atlantic Coast about 30 kilometres southeast of Atlantic Gold’s open pit gold mine at Moose River.

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Court to decide the future of Owls Head

Justice Brothers has reserved her decision.

Meanwhile, Premier Iain Ranking appears not to be considering reversing the de-listing of Owls Head.

“On the plaza of the Law Courts, demonstrators have convened in support of the judicial review and they have done so with a sense of great hope,” said NDP leader Gary Burrill during Question Period yesterday.

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