Nova Scotia’s uranium exploration pitch falls flat

Nova Scotia has received no bids for uranium exploration in the province yet.

Premier Tim Houston said there’s a lot of interest in natural resource development in Nova Scotia but that interest doesn’t seem to apply to uranium exploration.

Houston confirmed that not a single company came forward with an application to explore for uranium, stalling the mining push at least for now.

“In the case of uranium specifically, there was no bids,” said Houston to reporters during a news brief.

The province issued a request for proposals from mining companies to search for uranium in three key areas identified by the Department of Natural Resources, but the application deadline expired this week without any submissions.

Uranium exploration and mining were banned in Nova Scotia in 1981 but in March the Progressive Conservative government passed legislation to lift the decades long ban.

Houston said this is part of his government’s push to open up mining opportunities for a list of critical minerals the province has identified to create economic opportunities and address the province’s future energy needs.

“Uranium is one thing, but it tells me in the broader picture that we have to do a better job of helping Nova Scotians understand that if you want a new rink and you want a new community centre, and you want a new road and you want more doctors – there wouldn’t be a day that goes by that I wouldn’t get asked for any number of investments - but someone has to pay for those,” Houston said.

The three known uranium deposit sites are located in Louisville in Pictou County, East Dalhousie in Annapolis County, and Millet Brook in Hants County. The province says they are mainly located on private lands.

The Mining Association of Nova Scotia says the nearly 45-year ban on uranium ban has had a lingering effect and the industry now sees the province as closed to mining.

“I think it was the right thing to test the waters and see what the reaction was,” said Sean Kirby, executive director of the association. “But I think the global mining industry has told us that we have more work to do to get our house in order before we are going to overcome almost a half century of sending the signal that we were closed to business.”

Houston wouldn’t say if this setback means the end for uranium exploration but highlighted instead the opportunity for other critical mineral development like lithium and zinc.

“The majority of Nova Scotians know we have to do something different and they want to do it safely and sustainably and that’s what I want to do, too,” said Houston.

Liberals, community react

Interim Liberal Leader Derek Mombourquette slammed the Houston government for trying to move so quickly and failing to consult on the legislation to lift the uranium ban and then again with communities impacted by potential uranium exploration.

“They did not consult with municipalities, they did not consult with communities they did not consult with the Mi’kmaq and now they are in a situation where councils are passing motions against uranium exploration because they have no information,” said Mombourquette.

Mombourquette wouldn’t say if this should be the end of exploring for uranium but said if the province is serious about critical mineral extraction, it should do the geophysical survey work on its own and map the province, listing where the critical minerals exist.

“Do it right and make the data public,” said Mombourquette.

One of the proposed sites in East Dalhousie is in the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg, which passed a motion at council to send a letter to Houston, calling for his government to pause the exploration work and answer questions and concerns from the community, which is located near the LaHave River watershed.

Mayor of the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg Elspeth McLean-Wile said there is growing concern around the issue of uranium exploration and resource development, and the community felt blindsided by the request for proposal.

“How do we really know the benefits are going to be greater than the risks?” said McLean-Wile. “Right now our residents only see uranium mining as a risk.”

Despite no bids being submitted from the mining industry, McLean-Wile said she remains cautious about what this means for uranium exploration in the future.

“We were surprised to hear about the exploration proposal going forward,” said McLean-Wile. “But now we’re left wondering, and I’m sure our residents are wondering, what’s the government’s next steps are?”

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