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Minister John Heron

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N.B. selects company to advance Lake George antimony mine project

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New Brunswick is advancing in their efforts to revitalize the province’s mineral sector.

In a press release, the province announced it had selected Toronto firm Avenir Minerals to negotiate an exploration agreement for the former Lake George antimony mine site.

The agreement follows the launch of New Brunswick’s Comprehensive Minerals Strategy, which looks to revitalize the province’s mineral sector and bolster domestic production of critical minerals.

The company was chosen after a call for expressions of interest was issued this spring.

RELATED: N.B. seeking interest in Lake George antimony mine development

RELATED: New Brunswick government unveils mineral strategy

Natural Resources Minister John Heron said in the release that this is a significant milestone in the province’s mission to provide Canada “with a secure and environmentally responsible domestic supply of critical minerals needed for the technologies of today and tomorrow.”

According to Heron, the Lake George site, in addition to its known antimony, also has potential for other minerals such as tungsten, molybdenum, and gold.

It “represents an invaluable opportunity to unlock the province’s mineral potential and meet the growing international demand for these materials,” he added.

The Lake George site, about 30 kilometres southwest of Fredericton, was once North America’s largest primary antimony mine and contains an estimated 800,000 tonnes of antimony-bearing ore, according to a historical technical report.

Antimony is also classified as a critical mineral by Canada, the U.S. and the European Union, and plays a critical role in the production of flame retardants, batteries and other advanced technologies.

Heron said the provincial government’s focus on the economic potential of New Brunswick’s minerals and the momentum created with the release of the mineral strategy have caught the interest of the mining sector across the country.

He added that this has resulted in a record number of claims made last year and in a new interest in the Lake George site, among others.

CEO of Avenir Minerals Alden Greenhouse said in the release that the company was pleased to be selected to enter these discussions and looks forward to “building a strong understanding of the project’s potential.”

“As discussions advance, our focus will be on working collaboratively with the Province of New Brunswick, local communities, Indigenous Peoples and other stakeholders to determine appropriate steps,” he added.

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New Brunswick seeks feedback on proposed 2026–35 biodiversity strategy

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As New Brunswick maps out it’s enviromental future, advocates say details matter as much as the goals.

On March 24, the government released a draft of its 2026-2035 Biodiversity Strategy to stakeholders.

The document outlines desired tangible goals, and twelve strategy statements that pledge the government of New Brunswick actions to “reduce threats to biodiversity, improve sustainability and enable a broad range of societal contributions”.

The statements include:

  1. Biodiversity considerations are integrated in land use planning and resource management processes
  2. Ecosystem functions and services are maintained, restored, and enhanced
  3. Protected and conserved areas are expanded and continue to conserve New Brunswick’s biodiversity.
  4. Natural spaces are maintained in populated areas
  5. Healthy, connected, and resilient native ecosystems are maintained
  6. The impacts of invasive alien species are minimized or mitigated
  7. The harvest of wild species is carried out sustainably
  8. Biodiversity is considered in the design, establishment, and operation of production land
  9. The impact of pollution on biodiversity is controlled, reduced, or eliminated
  10. Sectors and businesses are aware of risks and accountable for reducing impacts
  11. Financing mechanisms and strategic partnerships support priority conservation efforts
  12. Relevant government agencies have the necessary authority, expertise, and capacity to steward biodiversity

According to a letter by Natural Resources Minister, John Herron, submitted with the document, the draft was released to stakeholders for the organizations to review it, and complete an online survey to indicate their level of confidence in the draft actions and identify concerns, possible risks and gaps.

Heron said in the letter, the draft goals, statements, and actions for New Brunswick, which build on the 2009 biodiversity strategy, were crafted to “align with the global and national biodiversity goals and targets.”

Beverly Gingras, executive director of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, said the draft gives organizations a chance to provide input.

“It’s a really important document because biodiversity in Canada, globally has been declining,” she said.

With over 100 species at risk in the province, Gingras said she is “happy” with the work the government has done so far to engage different communities, organizations, and partners to address the future of biodiversity in the province.

However, Gingras said more work can be done.

She explained the council is still reviewing the draft but said they are hoping to see the government release a final strategy with a clear framework to deliver the strategies, and good accountability and reporting mechanisms to identify opportunities to correct initiatives if needed.

“We really want to see what the government is hoping to achieve in the next few years, and how they are going to do that with specific indicators,” she said. “If we don’t have those indicators then we could be doing a lot of actions but not actually accomplishing anything.”

Gingras added that the council is also hoping to see how Indigenous rights and leadership will be incorporated in decision making processes.

According to the draft, one of the province’s main goals is to respect and protect Aboriginal and treaty rights in New Brunswick’s biodiversity conservation efforts.

One of the general calls of action in the draft also includes for businesses, conservation, organizations, and all levels of government to seek to create more opportunities for First Nations communities and Indigenous experts to “inform and guide New Brunswick efforts.”

Gingras said it was important for the council to see what kind of mechanism the government could implement for the co-development of these strategies with Indigenous groups.

“If it’s not in the draft, we’ll be providing some recommendations on how to improve the draft,” she said.

According to the document, stakeholders were able to complete the survey by April 17, but Gingras clarified the deadline was extended until the week of April 25.

In Minister’s Heron letter, he said the final report will be released sometime this summer.