Impala Canada Ltd. - Permit to take water

Instrument type: Permit to take water

ERO number
019-6643
Ministry reference number
7006-CMWJE5
Notice type
Instrument
Act
Ontario Water Resources Act, R.S.O. 1990
Posted by
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Notice stage
Decision
Decision posted
Comment period
March 7, 2023 - April 6, 2023 (30 days) Closed
Last updated

This consultation was open from:
March 7, 2023
to April 6, 2023

Decision summary

Permit to Take Water No. 1116-DGVNMU was issued to Impala Canada Ltd. on December 30, 2025. Water will be taken from an Underground Mine for dewatering purposes.

Location details

Site address

Latitude 49 deg. 10 'N Longitude 89 deg. 37 ' W
Thunder Bay, ON
Canada

Site location details

Lac Des Iles Mine Site

Site location map

The location pin reflects the approximate area where environmental activity is taking place.

View this location on a map opens link in a new window

Proponent(s)

Impala Canada Ltd.
Post Office Box 10547
Thunder Bay, ON
P7B 6T9
Canada

Decision details

Permit to Take Water No. 1116-DGVNMU was issued to Impala Canada Ltd. on December 30, 2025. Water will be taken from an Underground Mine for dewatering purposes. Details of the water taking are as follow:

Source name: underground mine

  • purpose category: dewatering
  • maximum rate per minute: 18,180 litres
  • maximum number of hours of taking a day: 24
  • maximum volume per day: 26,179,200 litres
  • maximum number of days of taking in a year: 365
  • earliest calendar date of taking (mm/dd): 01/01
  • latest calendar date of taking (mm/dd): 12/31
  • duration 7.5 years

Permits to Take Water include conditions that require the permit holder to:

  • collect and record the daily amount of water taken
  • comply with the terms and conditions in the permit
  • immediately report complaints or interference to the ministry
  • report water takings each year to the ministry

Issued Permits to Take Water can be viewed and downloaded at Access Ontario, by searching the approval number 1116-DGVNMU in the search field located at the top of the map, see “I want to…Search by Approval Number”, here: Access Environment

Access Environment displays the following information:

  • business name
  • facility address and location on an interactive map
  • type of approval or registration from the ministry (view a PDF& copy)
  • date of issue
  • status of the approval (approved, amended, revoked and/or replaced)
  • status of the registration (registered, suspended, removed)

Comments received

Through the registry

0

By email

1

By mail

0
View comments submitted through the registry

Effects of consultation

The Ministry considered all comments received during the notification period as part of the technical review of the application.

The comment raised concerns regarding the Indigenous consultation process for this application and related environmental approvals for the site, including the time taken by the Ministry to respond to identified concerns, and the availability of capacity funding. Concerns were also raised regarding potential environmental effects related to groundwater resources and the cumulative effects of water taking activities.

A comprehensive technical review concluded that the proposed water taking remains consistent with previously authorized activities and presents a low risk of adverse environmental effects. Historical monitoring data indicate that groundwater conditions have remained stable under operations to date.

All pit water associated with the dewatering system continues to be treated in accordance with an approved Environmental Compliance Approval prior to discharge.

The Ministry’s technical review did not identify any adverse effects on groundwater resources associated with the proposed water-taking activities, and permit conditions provide for appropriate ministry oversight and for adaptive management of water takings as required.

Supporting materials

View materials in person

Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.

Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.

Northern Region Office
Address

435 James Street South
Floor 3, Suite 331
Thunder Bay, ON
P7E 6S7
Canada

Office phone number

How to Appeal

This instrument decision can be appealed. You have 15 days from December 30, 2025 to begin the appeal process.

Carefully review the information below to learn more about the appeal process.

How to appealClick to Expand Accordion

Start the process to appeal

If you’re an Ontario resident, you can start the process to appeal this instrument decision.

First, you’ll need to seek leave (i.e. get permission) from the relevant appellate body to appeal the decision.

If the appellate body grants leave, the appeal itself will follow.

Seek leave to appeal

To seek leave to appeal, you need to do these three things:

  1. prepare your application
  2. provide notice to the minister
  3. mail your application to three parties

1. Prepare your application

You’ll need to prepare an application. You may wish to include the following things in your application:

  1. A document that includes:
    • your name, phone number, fax number (if any), and/or email address
    • the ERO number and ministry reference number (located on this page)
    • a statement about whether you are a resident in Ontario
    • your interest in the decision, and any facts you want taken into account in deciding whether you have an interest in the decision
    • the parts of the instrument that you’re challenging
    • whether the decision could result in significant harm to the environment
    • the reason(s) why you believe that no reasonable person – having regard to the relevant law and to any government policies developed to guide decisions of that kind – could have made the decision
    • the grounds (facts) you’ll be using to appeal
    • the outcome you’d like to see
  2. A copy of the instrument (approval, permit, order) that you you are seeking leave to appeal. You’ll find this in the decision notice on the Environmental Registry
  3. Copies of all supporting documents, facts and evidence that you’ll be using to appeal
What is considered

The appeal body will consider the following two questions in deciding whether to grant you leave to appeal:

  1. is there is good reason to believe that no reasonable person, with respect to the relevant law and to any government policies developed to guide decisions of that kind, could have made the decision?
  2. could the decision you wish to appeal result in significant harm to the environment?

2. Provide your notice

You’ll need to provide notice to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks that you’re seeking leave to appeal.

In your notice, please include a brief description of the:

  • decision that you wish to appeal
  • grounds for granting leave to appeal

You can provide notice by email at minister.mecp@ontario.ca or by mail at:

College Park 5th Floor, 777 Bay St.
Toronto, ON
M7A 2J3

3. Mail your application

You’ll need to mail your application that you prepared in step #1 to each of these three parties:

  • appellate body
  • issuing authority (the ministry official who issued the instrument)
  • proponent (the company or individual to whom the instrument was issued)

Issuing authority
Neil Taylor
Permit to Take Water Surface Water Specialist

Environmental Permissions Branch
135 St Clair Avenue West
Toronto, ON
M4V 1P5
Canada

416-388-0961

Proponent(s)

Impala Canada Ltd.
Post Office Box 10547
Thunder Bay, ON
P7B 6T9
Canada


Appellate body

Registrar, Ontario Land Tribunal
655 Bay Street, Suite 1500
Toronto, Ontario
M5G 1E5
(416) 212-6349
(866) 448-2248
OLT.Registrar@ontario.ca

About the Ontario Land Tribunal


Include the following:

ERO number
019-6643
Ministry reference number
7006-CMWJE5

This is not legal advice. Please refer to the Environmental Bill of Rights for exact legal requirements. Consult a lawyer if you need help with the appeal process.

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Follow this notice

Original proposal

ERO number
019-6643
Ministry reference number
7006-CMWJE5
Notice type
Instrument
Act
Ontario Water Resources Act, R.S.O. 1990
Posted by
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Proposal posted

Comment period

March 7, 2023 - April 6, 2023 (30 days)

Proposal details

This proposal is for the renewal of Permit to Take Water No. 5027-BPDN5B servicing Impala Canada Ltd. for dewatering purposes. Detains of the water taking are as follow:

Source name: underground mine

  • purpose category: dewatering
  • maximum rate per minute: 18,180 litres
  • maximum number of hours of taking a day: 24
  • maximum volume per day: 26,179,200 litres
  • maximum number of days of taking in a year: 365
  • earliest calendar date of taking (mm/dd): 01/01
  • latest calendar date of taking (mm/dd): 12/31
  • duration 10 years

There are 3 categories of a Permit to Take Water:

  • Category 1: water takings are anticipated to have a lower risk of causing an unacceptable environmental impact/interference
  • Category 2: water takings are anticipated to having a higher potential of causing unacceptable environmental impact or interference
  • Category 3: water takings are anticipated to have the highest potential of causing unacceptable environmental impactor interference

The proposed water taking qualifies as a Category 1 permit.

Supporting materials

View materials in person

Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.

Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.

Client Services and Permissions Branch
Address

135 St. Clair Avenue West
Floor 1
Toronto, ON
M4V 1P5
Canada

Office phone number

Comment

Commenting is now closed.

This consultation was open from March 7, 2023
to April 6, 2023

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