Published Jun 13, 2025 • 4 minute readEnvironment Minister Tim Halman answers questions from reporters about changes to the environmental assessment process at a news conference in Halifax on Thursday. Photo by Ryan Taplin /The Chronicle HeraldThe Nova Scotia government is taking steps to streamline the industrial approval process for metal mining.“The announcement today reflects economic growth, environmental protection and government service efficiency,” said Environment Minister Tim Halman in announcing regulation changes intended to make mining industrial approvals faster, clearer and more efficient.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle content“Premier Houston has made it crystal clear: we need to support more responsible resource development in Nova Scotia and that means making sure our regulatory system is ready to respond efficiently, transparently, predictably,” Halman said at a news conference in Halifax on Friday.Janet MacKinnon, executive director of sustainability and applied science with the provincial Environment and Climate Change Department, led a technical briefing before the minister’s comments, explaining that metal mines require both an environmental assessment and a separate industrial approval.Both approval processes require government consultation with the public and the Mi’kmaq community.No longer neededMacKinnon said 15 requirements have been moved from the industrial approval application submission to the ministerial approval as conditions of that approval. The 15 requirements now must be completed before specific stages of an approved project.Article contentThose requirements include monitoring plans for air quality and emissions, a noise monitoring plan, a pre-blasting survey, establishment of a community liaison committee, an assessment for all suspected known contaminated areas potentially affected, proof of environmental impairment liability insurance and a phased reclamation security.Those 15 items are no longer needed with the initial application.“These plans are required prior to construction of the site but the department doesn’t need to see those plans prior to making a decision on the application,” MacKinnon said.“They do remain requirements but they can be completed at later stages of the project. We’re sequencing the requirements so that companies can get started faster.”MacKinnon said an example would be an erosion and sedimentation control plan.NDP wants a ‘full account’That portion of the streamlined process doesn’t sit well with the Opposition NDP.Article content“The Houston government needs to explain why they think it’s OK for them to cut Nova Scotians out of decisions that impact communities across the province,” said Lisa Lachance, the NDP representative for Halifax Citadel-Sable Island.Read More It’s a ‘no go’ for uranium exploration in Nova Scotia N.S. warned of serious health risks from uranium exploration, mining Atlantic recap: Power bills ‘selected’, remarkable fraud fail, announcing uranium ‘no go’ “Today, we’re hearing that now industrial approval can be granted without a full account of how the land, air and water will be impacted. It is concerning that Nova Scotians are being asked to blindly trust that industry will respect the environment,” Lachance said.“Nova Scotians want and deserve more information and community engagement on mining projects in their backyards. This is especially the case with the province’s duty to consult with the Mi’kmaq. Today’s changes will deliver the opposite. This government seems to want Nova Scotians to have less information. Keeping people in the dark about major decisions that impact their families is not the way to build our province’s economy.” Article contentShorter approval timesHalman said the government is embracing the fact that strong environmental protection, economic opportunity and regulatory clarity are not competing priorities. “They must work together, and in Nova Scotia they will,” the minister said.“We are not compromising our environment. Nova Scotia has strong environmental standards and those remain in place. What we’re doing, though, is cutting red tape, we’re reducing delays, we’re providing clarity to companies all the while maintaining the high environmental protections Nova Scotians protect and deserve.”On May 8, the department announced a modernization of the environment assessment process, which can take 50 days from the time of the application to a ministerial decision.MacKinnon said the industrial approval follows and can take 60 days from the time of application to a ministerial decision. Article contentThe industrial approval is an operational approval required by provincial law before the construction and operation of a metal mine site.“The industrial approval process evaluates and eliminates the impacts a project can have on the environment and includes terms and conditions to protect the environment while supporting companies to develop,” MacKinnon said. To determine the presence of gold or other minerals, companies drill core samples like this for testing. – File photoThe applicant company decides how much time elapses after being granted environmental approval before applying for industrial approval.“It’s this space that can be confusing for applicants and this is where we’re focusing our attention with clear guidance materials and information to help applicants submit a completed (industrial approval) application,” MacKinnon said.She said improvements to the process focus on clarity and efficiency and are sector specific, based on “a phased approach to the application process so that companies can move from planning to action faster while still upholding environmental safeguards.”Article contentThe streamlined process informs companies of what’s required and when.Industry wants moreA Mining Association of Nova Scotia statement said “while we support any effort to cut red tape, the government of Nova Scotia needs to make more significant changes to its permitting system for the mineral sector.”The association reiterated its call to restructure permitting by putting one mining department in charge, as other provinces do.The announced changes to the process include the establishment of a new 10-member large industrial file team, including a director, a dedicated manager, three professional engineers, a junior engineer, a hydrogeologist and three environment inspectors.The full-time, dedicated team consists of existing department staff members experienced in the mining sector.Article content
N.S. government streamlines metal mining approval process
