The study is written by lawyers and experts trying to protect Quebeckers from effects of badly managed mines. They don’t want citizens paying the bill for environmental rehabilitation of contaminated mines. They want to remove the precedence of mining rights over citizen and community rights and give Quebeckers powers for sustainable regional development. These are rights the existing archaic Mining Act did not provide for.

The report advises that mines pay for pollution they create, that there are obligatory Environmental Assessments that includes a public review process (not included previously) for all Mines. Mandatory back-filling of open pits, a moratorium on the exploration and exploitation of uranium, and respect for the rights and interests of the Aboriginal Communities must be part of the New Mining Act.

The study comes just before an overhaul of mining legislation in Quebec is tabled at the National Assembly.