> "The Wolf Lake area…

> "The Wolf Lake area…contains a large contiguous area of old growth red pine, which may be the largest remaining old growth red pine dominated forest in Ontario (OMNR 1999)." [1]

Such a precious forest should not be mined. Presumably the Ontario Government also shares this sentiment, as they state that “the original intent for the forest reserves that as mining tenure lapsed through normal processes these areas would be regulated part of Chiniguchi Waterway Provincial Park.” [1] Though the government didn’t follow through on its promise to regulate these areas part of the provincial park system in 2012 when the mining leases had lapsed [5], the government should fulfil their promise to protect Wolf Lake at the expiration of the current leases. Wolf Lake should not be mined for that would destroy this region of unique ecological significance, bankrupt the social value for all future Ontarians travelling through the Chiniguchi Waterway Provincial Park, and contribute to the catastrophic threat of climate change. For all our technological advances, we cannot revive an old growth forest, so we must protect those precious remaining intact forests that we have, especially the exceptionally rare forest surrounding Wolf Lake.

Further, the government should uphold the promises that “the Ministers of both MNR and MNDM committed that Flag Resources claims and leases would not be transferred to any other company.” [2] Flag Resources may intend to flout this requirement by handing off the claims to another company, Inventus Mining Corp., according to a news release which stated “Inventus is pleased to announce that it has signed a binding agreement with the secured creditor and principal shareholder of Flag Resources (1985) Ltd.” [4] It should be noted that in the opinion of Mr. Stefan Spears, CEO of Inventus Mining Corp., “Flag is pretty much a defunct company, they’re insolvent and haven’t really been in business since 2006, but they still hold their claims and leases, and those are valid.” [3] Flag Resources has had their opportunity to explore for minerals, and now that they’re insolvent the government should deny this proposal and incorporate Wolf Lake into the Chiniguchi Waterway Provincial Park.

I am grateful towards all those who have stood up to protect this forest thus far, for without them I would not have been able to visit this unique environment as a child at summer camp, or to return as an adult with an even greater appreciation for its beauty. I hope to one day share this treasure with my children, and for them to do the same with theirs, and for Wolf Lake’s old growth forests to stay intact for all Ontarians, Canadians, and North Americans to revel in this sublime forest which used to run from coast to coast. Ontario must preserve our heritage, and what better way than to immortalize a landscape which is older than our province itself, rather than exploit it for the benefit of a single generation.

As such, I would also like to second the calls from the “Wolf Lake Coalition Steering Committee,” (WLCSC) in particular I would like to emphasize that “this application should not be approved.” [2] I would also like to resubmit a document created by the WLCSC in May 2012 titled “10 Reasons to Protect Wolf Lake Forever” [6] as additional evidence that this application should be denied. I am strongly opposed to this proposal, and call on the government to fulfil the original intention of Ontario's Living Legacy from Mike Harris’ government in 1999 to preserve Wolf Lake via the provincial park system.

[1] https://www.ontario.ca/page/chiniguchi-waterway-provincial-park-managem…
[2] https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IjxTYxODp-3Hr8KcA7j5ppMZSd6xksGl/view?…
[3] https://www.thesudburystar.com/news/local-news/wolf-lake-part-of-renewe…
[4] https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/07/02/2057024/0/en/Inve…
[5] https://www.mndm.gov.on.ca/en/news/ministry/ministers-statement-wolf-la…
[6] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&…