Notice of Commencement of an Environmental Assessment

Hammond Reef Gold Mine Project, Mitta Lake, Atikokan
Mitta Lake (ON)

August 10, 2011 -- Under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (the Act), the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) is responsible for exercising the powers and performing the duties and functions of the responsible authority for certain projects subject to a comprehensive study.

Based on information it has received, the Agency has determined that the project is described in the comprehensive study list and that an environmental assessment pursuant to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act is required. As a result, a comprehensive study commenced on July 28, 2011.

Osisko Hammond Reef Gold Ltd. (the proponent) proposes to develop an open-pit gold mine that is expected to operate for about 14 years with a production rate of approximately 50,000 tonnes per day. It is located approximately 23 kilometres northeast from the Town of Atikokan in northwestern Ontario, near Marmion Lake. The proposed project includes two open pits, waste rock stockpiles, a tailings management area, a processing plant, an explosives plant, offices and maintenance facilities, an access road, a transmission line, a tailings pipeline, and related ancillary mine works or undertakings.

The scope of the project includes all physical works and activities associated with the construction, operation, modification, and decommissioning (closure and post-closure) of the project as proposed by the proponent.

An environmental assessment is required in relation to the project because Fisheries and Oceans Canada may take action in relation to paragraphs 36(5)(a) to (e), where the regulation made pursuant to those paragraphs contains a provision that limits the application of the regulation to a named site of the Fisheries Act, to section 32 of the Fisheries Act and to subsection 35(2) of the Fisheries Act and because Natural Resources Canada may take action in relation to paragraph 7(1)(a) of the Explosives Act. Transport Canada is participating in this environmental assessment as they might be required to make a decision in respect of the project.

This project is also subject to the environmental assessment requirements of the Government of Ontario.

As per the Cabinet Directive on Improving the Performance of the Regulatory System for Major Resource Projects, this environmental assessment has been identified as a major natural resource project. For additional information refer to the Major Projects Management Office's Tracker that monitors the progress of proposed major resource projects through the federal regulatory review system.

For further information on this environmental assessment, please contact:
Hammond Reef Gold Mine Project
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Amy Liu, Project Manager
55 St. Clair Avenue East
Suite 907
Toronto  ON  M4T 1M2
Telephone : 416-952-1576
Fax : 416-952-1573
Email : HammondReef@ceaa-acee.gc.ca

and refer to Registry reference number 11-03-63174