Vice-President's Response regarding the Vista Underground Mine Project

 

Physical Activities

Coalspur Mines (Operations) Ltd. has proposed two expansions of the existing Vista Coal Mine Phase I (Phase I), a surface coal mine located approximately 10 kilometres east of Hinton, Alberta. The two expansions include: a westward expansion of the Phase I mine pits (Vista Coal Mine Phase II Expansion) and an underground coal mine (Vista Underground Mine). The expansions would use existing Phase I mine infrastructure including transportation and processing facilities. The Vista Coal Mine Phase II Expansion would include new roads, additional plant modules, tailing storage facilities and an end pit lake. The Vista Underground Mine would include new mine entries, mine yard, water management structures, and ventilation and electrical components.

The Vista Underground Mine (the Project) is the physical activity to which this response applies.

Delegation of Powers to IAAC

Under subsection 154(1) of the Impact Assessment Act (IAA), the Minister of Environment and Climate Change (the Minister) may, subject to any terms and conditions that the Minister specifies, delegate to IAAC any powers, duties, or functions that the Minister is authorized to exercise or perform under the IAA. On July 26, 2024, the Minister delegated the authority to respond to requests for designation, for which limitations on designation described under subsection 9(7) of the IAA apply, to the President or Vice-President of Operations of IAAC.

Decision

Non-designated Project

Reasons

Pursuant to subsection 9(7) of the IAA, the Minister must not exercise their power to designate if a) the carrying out of the physical activity has substantially begun; or b) a federal authority has exercised a power or performed a duty or function conferred on it under any Act of Parliament other than the IAA that could permit the physical activity to be carried out, in whole or in part. Therefore, the Minister cannot designate the Project for the following reason:

• The Vista Underground Mine Project has substantially begun as physical undertakings have been carried out that have a direct linkage to the Project, are an essential part of the Project that are long-lasting, and occurred over an extended period of time, including:

• excavation of the underground mine pit which began in January 2024;
• underground mining which began March 16, 2024, and since then approximately 250,000 bank cubic metres of material has been removed; and
• construction of project infrastructure has begun on the highwall face portal, power cables have been installed and powerlines rerouted, and a power center has been moved and established underground.