Gestion des risques environnementaux liés à l’exploitation des minéraux critiques au Canada

The report identifies mine closure, tailings management, and biodiversity loss as the three critical environmental challenges facing Canada's critical minerals sector. It argues that failing to address these risks undermines social acceptance and investor confidence, which are essential for the energy transition. The document highlights the 'mixed and controversial' legacy of abandoned mines and tailings disasters, such as Mount Polley, while contrasting varying provincial regulatory effectiveness, noting Quebec as a leader in financial guarantees. It recommends that Canadian governments reduce bureaucratic discretion in enforcement, mandate early and transparent closure planning, restrict high-risk 'upstream' tailings dams, and adopt regional cumulative effect assessments to protect biodiversity and respect Indigenous land-use planning.

• The success of Canada's critical minerals expansion depends heavily on social acceptance from local and Indigenous communities, as investors avoid projects with high risks of delays, litigation, and reputational damage.
• Historical regulatory gaps and bankruptcy laws have allowed mining companies to avoid cleanup costs, leaving the Canadian public to pay billions for abandoned sites, such as the Giant gold mine in the Northwest Territories, which represents a 4.3 billion dollar liability.

APA

Pollon, C., & Al-Aini, E. (n.d.). Gestion des risques environnementaux liés à l’exploitation des minéraux critiques au Canada. Canadian Climate Institute. https://institutclimatique.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Gestion-risques-mineraux-critiques-Canada.pdf

Chicago

Pollon, Christopher, and Eyab Al-Aini. Gestion des risques environnementaux liés à l’exploitation des minéraux critiques au Canada. Canadian Climate Institute, n.d. https://institutclimatique.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Gestion-risques-mineraux-critiques-Canada.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Pollon |first1=Christopher |last2=Al-Aini |first2=Eyab |title=Gestion des risques environnementaux liés à l’exploitation des minéraux critiques au Canada |publisher=Canadian Climate Institute |url=https://institutclimatique.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Gestion-risques-mineraux-critiques-Canada.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{pollonndgestion, author = {Pollon, Christopher and Al-Aini, Eyab}, title = {{Gestion des risques environnementaux liés à l’exploitation des minéraux critiques au Canada}}, institution = {Canadian Climate Institute}, url = {https://institutclimatique.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Gestion-risques-mineraux-critiques-Canada.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }