Indigenous Group: Six Maliseet First Nations communities in NB

Business: Sisson Mines Northcliff Resources (Canada) and Todd Minerals, NZ

Issue: Protect the Nashwaak’s and St. John’s River watersheds from toxic mining spills

Comment: The Conservation Council of New Brunswick identified three risks that Sisson Mine’s Environmental Impact Assessment did not address effectively (July 17, 2015):

• Not assessing the impacts of a failure of the tailing ponds dams
• Failure to properly address wastewater from the mine
• Poor archaeological research

Latest Updates: Feb. 10, 2017: CBC – The six Maliseet First Nations in New Brunswick have reached a multimillion-dollar financial deal with the provincial government that clears the way for the Sisson mine project north of Fredericton to proceed. Under the accommodation agreement announced Friday, the six First Nations — St. Mary’s, Woodstock, Oromocto, Tobique, Kingsclear and Madawaska — will receive 9.8 per cent of provincial revenue generated from the metallic mineral tax. The six First Nations will share in:

• $3 million upon federal environmental approval of the mine.
• 35 per cent of the first $2 million the province receives in royalties each year.
• 3.5 per cent of annual royalties above $2 million.