As part of the federal impact assessment of the Wasamac underground mining project, the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) is organizing two information sessions in October to present the Participant Funding Program to participants (PFP).

The PFP helps the public participate in the impact assessment process and communicate useful ideas, perspectives, and knowledge. If you have an interest in participating in one or the other of the sessions, please confirm it by email to Ms. Laurie Tremblay, Project Manager at IAAC at the following address: laurie.tremblay@iaac-aeic.gc(External link). The information to connect via Zoom will then be sent to you.

If you cannot attend one of the sessions and still wish to obtain information on funding, or for any other question concerning the federal impact assessment of the Project, please contact Ms. Laurie Tremblay by email or by telephone (418-572-8746).

Useful links:

• Video on the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (2 minutes)(External link)
• Web page of the Agency on the impact assessment of the Wasamac gold mine project(External link)
• Participant Funding Program

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Sébastien Pignol to the position of Project Geologist with Yamana Gold.

Sebastien brings over 10 years of experience as a Geologist in Abitibi-Temiscamingue. He holds a Diploma in Laboratory Science and Technology – Biological Engineering, a Bachelor in Earth and Environment Sciences, as well as a Master of Professional Geology of Natural Resources from University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse (France).

Previously, he worked for 4 years with Technominex at various projects, including Monster Lake, Heva and Nelligan, and more recently, he provided project management services for the exploration drilling program, as well as personnel management at the Wasamac project

In connection with the Wasamac underground mining project, Sébastien will continue to support and supervise aspects of the exploration drill program at the Wasamac property.

Let us all welcome Sébastien!

We remind you that if you have any questions or comments about the Wasamac underground mining project, you can contact us as follows:

By phone: 1-833-510-0330

By email: wasamac@yamana.com(External link)

Through our online platform: www.consultationswasamac.com

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Martin François Turgeon to the position of Superintendent, Procurement and Warehousing with Yamana Gold.

Martin François brings over 30 years of experience in procurement and supply chain, including 15 years’ experience in the mining industry, with Agnico-Eagle – Meadowbank Division and more recently Hecla Quebec – Mine Casa Berardi. He holds a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Administration from the University of Quebec in Abitibi-Temiscamingue. Through his experiences, Martin François worked with various suppliers to ensure that logistics of distribution were met in a timely manner. He was also responsible of the control and application of procurement policies and procedures, negotiations with suppliers and optimizing inventory management.

In connection with the Wasamac underground mining project, Martin François will be responsible of the activities surrounding inventory management and control and purchasing of goods and services for the Wasamac project, in compliance with Yamana’s governance requirements. In addition, he will build relationships with the various suppliers, local communities, and internal and external stakeholders.

Let us all welcome Martin François!

We remind you that if you have any questions or comments about the Wasamac underground mining project, you can contact us as follows:

By phone: 1-833-510-0330

By email: wasamac@yamana.com(External link)

Through our online platform: www.consultationswasamac.com

The third meeting of the Task Force with the neighborhood and the community of the Wasamac underground mining Project took place on June 21st, 2021, via the Zoom platform.

During this meeting, a summary update of the feasibility study was presented to the members in addition to confirming the acquisition of new mining properties. Members of the Task Force were also informed that the community relations office will be in the former Caisse populaire service point in the Évain neighborhood and that the community relations officer position will be filled shortly. A representative from Yamana also proposed a mechanism for following up on reports to the Task Force and explained the planned process for handling grievances, continuous improvement and internal and external feedback and follow-ups.

The purpose of the meeting was also to present the progress of the impact study and the timetable for the various related analyzes. The consulting firm WSP made a presentation to the members of the Task Force to better define the framework for an impact study at the provincial and federal level in addition to detailing the progress of the evaluation process, which includes a procedure before the Office of Public Hearings on the Environment. The representatives of WSP explain that the impact study must be a collaborative process with the community in order to better define the various parameters of the project’s receiving environment.

The community will therefore be able to express concerns related to the project which will be taken into account in the impact study. The schedule of planned and ongoing inventories is presented to members who were also able to see the schedule of anticipated results. Thematic meetings will be scheduled during the fall to present the procedures and mechanisms surrounding the impact study inventories and to learn about the first results.

Read the detailed report

The exploration program that began in March is gradually intensifying. Indeed, our teams will install two additional drills in the coming weeks. This increase in activities is possible thanks to the authorization received from the Commission de protection du territoire agricole (CPTAQ) in August 2021. This authorization, valid for a maximum period of 24 months, allows the use of the lots of land owners (with whom agreements have been signed as part of the exploration program) for a purpose other than agricultural (Homeowners’ agreement guide).

The authorization of the CPTAQ is also accompanied by conditions that must be respected. For example, exploration and reclamation work should be done under the supervision of an agronomist. Tailings should be collected and disposed of outdoors or in receiving basins. In addition, once the equipment has been moved, a complete inspection of the site must be carried out rehabilitated when necessary.

Each of these drills will be equipped with equipment designed during the first exploration work to reduce their noise impact. We maintain our commitments to put in place best practices to minimize the impact of our activities on the environment and the neighborhood, to compensate in a fair and equitable manner the owners where work will be carried out and to propose a participatory approach in collaboration with the neighborhood for the surveillance and monitoring of activities.

For more details:

• Read our report resolution policy, listening mechanism, taking into account grievances and citizen feedback.
• Watch the two videos to familiarize yourself with drilling activities and learn more about the mitigation measures put in place to reduce the impact of noise.
• Consult the page dedicated to the exploration program for the location of the drilling work in progress.

The works announced in the notice of work mailed to neighbors in the area in mid-August, and available here will begin on September 7th. For now, we estimate that the works should be completed at the end of October. The works will take place on a 7/7 schedule, during the day.

Several measures have been put in place to ensure that activities are carried out with respect for the neighborhood. We remind you that in the event of a problem, you can contact our team at the following coordinates:

By phone or text: 1 833 510-0330

By email at wasamac@yamana.com(External link)

Online, using the form available in the «Exploration program» section of www.consultationswasamac.com

We are pleased to announce that we recently acquired office space at 14 d'Évain Street in Rouyn-Noranda for the purpose of opening a Community Relations Office for the Wasamac underground mining project.

The Yamana team in Quebec is growing and a new contact person will be available to handle questions and suggestions from the community.

The creation of this information and discussion centre for citizens is the fulfillment of one of Yamana's first commitments to the community in connection with the Wasamac underground mining project, aimed at meeting an expectation expressed by residents.

As a former Desjardins service centre for the Évain district, the existing Desjardins ATM in the building will continue to be accessible to users.

The announcement of the official opening of the office, and an invitation to the public, will be forthcoming as soon as renovations and upgrades are completed.

As part of the environmental impact assessment to be done for the Wasamac underground mining project, various works will be carried out in the project area over a few weeks starting at the end of August. All details can be found here. The precise start date will be posted on this platform.

Should you have any questions or comments, we invite you to contact us by phone or text at 1-833-510-0330, or by email at wasamac@yamana.com(External link).

At its June 21 meeting, the Neighbourhood and Community Task Force for the Wasamac underground mining project validated the minutes of the previous meeting, which was held on May 19, 2021(External link).

Here is our recap:

A summary update on Yamana Gold's Wasamac underground mining project was presented to the members and will be presented to the entire community at the next neighbourhood meeting scheduled for June 16. That meeting will also be an opportunity to discuss in greater depth the exploration program, drilling operations and noise mitigation measures. An invitation will be sent out to the neighbourhood with the next issue of the Wasamac newsletter, which will also contain an update on the project’s progress.

The Task Force meeting was also an occasion for members to plan their meetings until the filing of the environmental impact assessment, the first version of which has been postponed until April 2022. The Task Force will receive a presentation of the impact assessment process by WSP before the summer, as well as a presentation of the follow-up mechanism for reports. The latter will also be widely distributed before the summer so that the neighbourhood will know how to report observations or complaints related to Yamana's activities, both with regard to the exploration program and the field activities around the environmental impact assessment.

The Task Force is planning a field visit at the end of August, which will also be an opportunity to receive a more detailed presentation of the project following Yamana's update of the feasibility study. In the fall, the group will then use its time to review various analyses and inventories, work in sub-groups and organize thematic weekends for the neighbourhood and the community. The winter months will then be devoted to preliminary sectoral impact studies, the social assessment of the impacts, and discussions on the avoidance, mitigation or compensation measures to be recommended. A follow-up on the development of the work timetable until spring 2022 will be done at upcoming Task Force meetings.

The minutes of the last neighbourhood meeting have been posted.

A summary update on Yamana Gold's Wasamac underground mining project was presented to the area residents who logged into the virtual meeting. In this, our second meeting since Yamana purchased the property, we took the opportunity to introduce new members of the Yamana team and discuss in greater detail the exploration program, drilling operations, and sound mitigation measures, with expert testimony and outreach videos.

Watch the videos again:

The meeting was also a forum for discussion of Yamana's environmental approach in all steps of its process and the life cycle of a mining project. The mine tailings facility and surface infrastructure planned for the project were discussed. A quick update on the upcoming feasibility study was also on the agenda. Participants learned more about the acquisition of new mining properties (Francoeur, Arntfield and Lac Fortune) in the vicinity of the project area and possible synergies with the Wasamac project, although those are still to be confirmed.

A summary of the environmental impact assessment, now scheduled to be filed in April 2022, was also discussed with the neighbourhood. The firm retained for this exercise is WSP, which will carry out several steps in the coming months, including data collection, land surveys and inventories, as well as a characterization of residential wells, to assess the project’s impacts. Finally, there was discussion of the Task Force, whose mandate is to serve as a space for dialogue and exchange between Yamana, the neighbourhood and the community, and the community contribution policy being developed. Many conversations took place on these topics. Following up on questions posed during the meeting, new questions/answers have been added to the platform, with more to come. The map showing the area identified for the characterization of residential wells was also uploaded to the platform.