Nova Scotia·NewA new Nova Scotia government website will make it easier for mining companies to track the progress of permit applications, but for now there are no plans to give the public access to that information in a similar way.NovaMINE combines information from various sources in a single placeMichael Gorman · CBC News · Posted: Oct 14, 2025 2:31 PM EDT | Last Updated: 26 minutes agoN.S. website streamlines info on mine permitting processNova Scotia is taking another step to try to make it easier for mining companies to do business. The province has launched a new online portal called NovaMINE, which aims to streamline the permitting process. Gareth Hampshire has the story.A new Nova Scotia government website will make it easier for mining companies to track the progress of permit applications, but for now there are no plans to give the public access to that information in a similar way.NovaMINE went live Tuesday. Proponents can log in to access all information related to their proposed project, including the status of permit applications and timelines related to the process. There are also details about when they can expect a response about the various stages.Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton told reporters that the government was responding — without cutting corners — to industry concerns about the province’s “fragmented” permitting process.“We’re making it easier to do business so more Nova Scotians can prosper,” Rushton said.Ability to share info with interested partiesDeidre Puddister, vice-president of sustainability for NexGold, welcomed the streamlined approach created by the website.Puddister said permitting needs to be thorough and consistent, “but not a mystery.”“Timelines are critical when developing a project and uncertainty kills investment,” she told reporters.Having all the information available online in one place means fewer calls to department officials for updates and it makes it easier to update others who are interested in a project, said Puddister.�“I can access it in front of a potential investor, a stakeholder, a rights holder, I can show them what we have and what we’ve submitted. It’s about real-time access for us and understanding where we are in the process.”No public accessIn August, NexGold received the necessary provincial permits for a proposed gold mine in Goldboro, N.S., although it is still awaiting federal approvals. Puddister declined to provide an update on that process.The province spent $60,000 on the first phase of NovaMINE. The second phase, expected to launch by next month, has a budget of about $200,000. Officials said Tuesday that there will also be a third phase, although a timeline and cost is not yet available.Company officials will eventually be able to make permit submissions and payments online.Rushton would not commit to the idea of a version of the website that would allow the public to track project progress in a single place, but said that “as things grow, we always look to evolve and improve things.”“But where it is required, the public will be notified and updated. Nothing’s going to change there.”A way to engage communitiesNDP natural resources critic Lisa Lachance said having some form of public access to some of the information would be a move in favour of transparency and citizen engagement.“I think this would be a great way to demonstrate to communities that the government wants to listen to Nova Scotians,” Lachance said in an interview.Lachance noted there is a high degree of community interest in potential natural resource projects and economic development, citing as evidence a petition tabled earlier this month at Province House that gathered 7,000 signatures in just a few months.That petition was driven by concerns about the government’s decision to lift the ban on uranium exploration and mining without broad consultation.There are currently no proposed projects involving uranium in the province.The new website announced Tuesday follows a change earlier this year by Environment Minister Tim Halman to the way the industrial approval process works for proposed metal mines, a change that was also intended to streamline processes while maintaining regulatory checks and balances.MORE TOP STORIESABOUT THE AUTHORMichael Gorman covers the Nova Scotia legislature for CBC, with additional focuses on health care and rural communities. Contact him with story ideas at michael.gorman@cbc.ca
N.S. government website streamlines info about mine permitting process
