MONTREAL -- The Quebec government announced Tuesday it will establish a new mining consultation policy, which aims to respect local Indigenous communities in the development of mineral resources.
The program aims to involve 11 First Nations communities at each stage of a project's development.
They will be invited to express their concerns and propose accommodation measures and solutions.
A committee will also be established to specifically oversee the mining sector.
The government stated that the policy’s principles must be respected by the ministries involved, as well as by mining promoters.
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Jonatan Julien called the move an important step to encourage First Nations participation in sourcing Quebec minerals.
The guidelines come after an internal consultation and two consultations with several Indigenous communities and the mining industry.
This report by La Presse Canadienne was first published Oct. 22, 2019.
