Greenstone bolsters team to help land Ring of Fire refinery
May 30, 2011
GREENSTONE, ON – The Council of the Municipality of Greenstone has passed a Motion to retain G & G Global Solutions and Environmental Communications Options (ECO) in order to facilitate a positive decision regarding the establishment of a smelter in the community.
To date, Greenstone has worked diligently to build consensus and support for this outcome with all parties.
Mayor Renald Beaulieu observed, “The siting of the smelter for Ring of Fire chromite is an extremely important opportunity for the Greenstone region. We have invested a great deal of time and effort in developing a response that will benefit our Municipality, First Nations, Cliffs Natural Resources, and the Provincial and Federal Governments.”
Mayor Beaulieu went on to say, “We are extremely pleased with the cooperation we have received from Aroland First Nation community and other First Nation communities. Their insights and understanding of how we should proceed have been invaluable.”
The Mayor concluded, “Issuing this contract comes after months of discussions and meetings with Cliffs, First Nations and the Province. We have every faith that our consultants will be able to successfully communicate the strength of the made in Greenstone solution. It is a solution founded on two principles; namely, that First Nations communities should share in the mineral wealth generated in their traditional territory, and that value added activities such as refining or smelting should be done in the area where extraction occurs.”
George Smitherman, Chair of G & G Solutions, stated, “I am excited to contribute to bringing economic stability to this Region. The made in Greenstone solution delivers important environmental benefits, as it will reduce the carbon impact caused by transporting a massive ore body long distances for processing.”
Smitherman concluded, “Don Huff of ECO and I are honoured to work with Greenstone, Aroland First Nation and other First Nation communities that are involved with this important assignment. We are committed to address outstanding concerns associated with electricity capacity in the Greenstone proposal.”
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Greenstone (Canada 2006 Census population 4,906) stretches 200km along TransCanada Highway 11 from Lake Nipigon to Longlac. It is one of the largest incorporated municipalities in Canada. Formed in 2001, it combined the Townships of Beardmore and Nakina, the Towns of Geraldton and Longlac with large unincorporated portions of Crown Land covering an area in excess of 3,000 sq.km.
The Ring of Fire is the area in the James Bay Lowlands in Northern Ontario, currently the site of major mining exploration projects (over 30,000 Claims have been staked). It has the potential to be the most significant mineral development in Ontario in over a century. It is centered on McFaulds Lake, 286 km from Greenstone on First Nation traditional lands.
LINKS
- Follow Environmental Communications Options on twitter – @ecostrategy_PR
- Learn more about the municipalities of Greenstone, Ontario
