First Nation in Abitibi-Témiscamingue seeks independent review of potential mining project (CBC News Montreal – April 5, 2022)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/

An Anishinabeg First Nation in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region wants to lead its own environmental assessment of a lithium mining project that the company Sayona is looking to develop on ancestral land.

The Long Point First Nation, whose 800 members mostly live in Winneway, Que., is concerned about the potential impacts that the project could have on its land and its traditional way of life.

“We want to be more vigilant on how things are going to happen on our territory, and this is why we feel that we need to play a lead role with all what’s being proposed,” said Chief Steeve Mathias. Sayona has three mining projects in the region: one near Winneway, one near La Corne, and one near La Motte.

The project the First Nation is particularly concerned about is the Tansim project near Lac Simard, which is part of its territory. The community uses the area to fish, hunt and forage for medicinal plants and berries.

For the rest of this article: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/long-point-first-nations-seeks-its-own-environmental-review-of-sayona-mining-projects-1.6408081