The Tsilhqot’in Nation is celebrating what it says is a final legal hurdle sealing the fate of a proposed gold mine on its sacred land, near Williams Lake.
It says the Supreme Court of Canada today dismissed Taseko Mines’ application for an appeal on the future of the New Prosperity Mine, about 125 kilometres southwest of Williams Lake.
“This decision has been a long time coming. We are celebrating the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision today, and taking the time to reflect on the immense sacrifices made by our communities and members to finally have their voices heard and respected,” said Chief Joe Alphonse.
“Now we call on [Taseko Miles] to accept that this is the end of the road for them. It’s time to move on and protect this sacred area for the survival of our way of life.”
Alphonse says the Tsilhqot’in are looking forward to supporting responsible economic projects in appropriate areas of the their territory.
“The Nation should never have to face the burden of an industrial threat to this sacred area ever again,” he added.
Taseko Mines has lost numerous previous appeals regarding the mine, which is said to be the largest undeveloped copper-gold deposit in Canada. It was slated for an area known as Teztan Biny, or Fish Lake, which has profound cultural importance to the Tsilhqot’in.
In October 2013, an independent federal panel of experts concluded that New Prosperity would have significant impacts on water quality, fisheries and Tŝilhqot’in cultural heritage, rights and traditional practices. In February 2014, the Government of Canada rejected the New Prosperity Mine for a second time, following an earlier rejection in November 2010.
The Nation says the company filed legal challenges which was rejected by the Federal Court in December 2017. The Federal Court of Appeal, it says, dismissed appeals in December 2019.
“Both levels of court affirmed the position of the Tŝilhqot’in Nation that the Government of Canada made the eminently reasonable and fair decision to reject this destructive project,” says a release from the Tsilhqot’in Nation, noting the decision means Taseko has no further legal avenues to appeal this project.
“The New Prosperity Mine is now dead – it cannot be legally built,” the release added.
– With files from The Canadian Press
