Current status

Environmental assessment: approved, December 15, 2010

Project summary

Construction of a transmission line and related infrastructure to provide power to the Detour Lake mine site in northeastern Ontario.

Proponent

Detour Gold Corporation

Location

Between Fraserdale and Detour Lake (approximately 185 kilometres northeast of Cochrane)

Type

Electricity transmission

Reference number

09233

Contact

Environmental Assessment and Permissions Branch

Project history

Environmental assessment: approved
Date submitted: April 30, 2010
Expiry of public comment period: June 18, 2010
Expiry of public comment period for ministry review: September 17, 2010
Decision date: December 15, 2010

Terms of reference: approved
Date submitted: November 26, 2009
Expiry of public comment period: January 4, 2010
Decision date: March 4, 2010

Environmental assessment

Detour Gold Corporation (Detour Gold) has obtained approval under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act (EAA) for the construction of a 180 kilometre, 230 kilovolt transmission line and related infrastructure to provide power to the Detour Lake mine site in north eastern Ontario.

The Detour Lake mineral deposit is located approximately 185 km northeast of Cochrane, Ontario. The Detour Lake mine was actively mined by another mining company from 1983 to 1999 and subsequently decommissioned. Detour Gold acquired the property in 2007 and is now moving forward with the planning of an open pit gold mine and related processing facilities.

Detour Gold is proposing to install a 230 kV transmission line to connect the proposed Detour Lake mine site to the Ontario electrical grid at the Pinard Transformer Station (TS) near Fraserdale, Ontario, a total distance of approximately 180 km. Power is required to support the construction and operation of the site. The proposed mine will require approximately 120 megawatts of power to be transmitted by means of a 230 kV transmission line. The route for the transmission line from the Detour Lake site to the Pinard TS proposes to utilize and to expand as necessary, existing or historic transmission line right-of-ways, in order to minimize overall environmental effects.

Prior to proceeding with the undertaking, Detour Gold will also need to receive all other applicable approvals for the construction and operation of the transmission line.

The Detour Lake Power Project Environmental Assessment (EA) study process was summarized in a report, and was submitted on April 30, 2010 to the Ontario Minister of the Environment for a decision, in accordance with Section 6.2(1) of the EAA, and the approved Terms of Reference for the project. The EA was available for a 7-week comment period ending on June 18, 2010.

A Notice of Completion of the ministry’s Review was published on August 13, 2010. The five-week public comment period for the ministry’s Review expired on September 17, 2010, during which time any comments about the proposed undertaking, the EA, and the ministry review could have been made. Also during that time, requests could be made for the Minister to refer the application to a hearing.

The Minister of the Environment, with the approval of Cabinet made a decision to allow the proposed undertaking to proceed subject to conditions on December 15, 2010.

Learn more on the notice of approval.

Terms of reference

A Terms of Reference (ToR) was submitted by Detour Gold Corporation to the Minister of the Environment for approval under the Environmental Assessment Act (EAA). The ToR was prepared in accordance with section 6(2)(c) of the EAA, and will serve as a framework for completing the environmental assessment. The Minister approved the ToR on March 4, 2010.

Learn more on the notice of approval.