natural resources

Moose ticks are still present in the Gaspé Peninsula 

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – Despite a lower-than-expected hunter turnout, analyses carried out by the Ministry of Wildlife shows a marked presence of moose ticks during the 2024 moose hunting season. 

Wildlife technicians collected samples at the Grande-Vallée, Gaspé and Nouvelle stations in order to have a better picture of the presence of ticks. 

The Ministry had expected to see about 100 or so hunters at the region’s registration stations, however only about thirty moose were registered at the stations. Hunters now have the option to record their tagged large game online instead of physically going to a registration station. 

“We think we still have a good picture of the degree of (tick) infestation, which was high last fall, both in terms of the percentage of moose and the number of ticks that each of them carried. We expect there to be a lot of ticks on animals this winter,” says biologist Marie-Claude Richer from the Ministry of Wildlife’s Gaspé office. 

It’s difficult to compare data from the last decade, particularly because of the pandemic. 

“We can go back to 2013. Between 2013 and 2019, we had continuous data. Then, we had some. This year, we’re about at the same level as the highest years, from 2013 to 2016. It’s a year that seems important for the infestation rate,” she explains. 

The presence of the tick varies from year to year, depending on weather conditions, since the herd remains relatively stable. 

The Ministry is considering a different method for collecting data next fall. “We’re going to try to either go to the stations during the first weekend of hunting or do business with butchers used by hunters. This is an avenue that we will try to develop to see if it would not be easier to go to the butchers. Many hunters register online but still use butchers. We will try to change our way of doing things,” says the biologist. 

Long, rainy summers, an early spring and a late fall are factors that increase the survival of female ticks and eggs. 

Subsequently, the larvae can attach themselves to moose and cause damage at the end of winter when their physical condition is at its lowest. 

Moose ticks are still present in the Gaspé Peninsula  Read More »

 Gaspé Mines: A committee to maximize local and regional benefits

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

 MURDOCHVILLE – The Quebec government is taking the initiative to set up a pilot project for the creation of a committee to maximize local economic benefits from the Gaspé Mines project by the promoter Osisko Metals, in Murdochville. 

“The goal is to have a leverage effect. With the eventual opening of the Murdoch mine, the goal is for the local and regional community to be able to take maximum advantage of this economic opportunity. The committee will bring together economic and community stakeholders, local and Indigenous elected officials so that everyone can pitch in and take advantage of the arrival of this significant economic development,” explains Maïté Blanchette Vézina, Minister of Natural Resources and Forests and Minister responsible for the Lower Saint Lawrence, the Gaspé Peninsula and the Magdalen Islands regions. 

Ms. Blanchette Vézina travelled to Murdochville on January 13 to make the announcement. 

The Minister wanted to find a project with good potential for opening up and target an area that had a desire to engage in economic development. “This is a project in a historically mining town. The community is keen to see this project. The winning conditions were there to create this pilot project,” adds the minister. 

The committee, composed of her ministry and other ministries, economic stakeholders, MRCs, local elected officials, chambers of commerce and the Micmac Nation, will monitor calls for tenders and the needs of local investment projects to inform regional entrepreneurs of upcoming contracts and direct contracting authorities to local entrepreneurs able to meet their needs. 

This pilot project is part of the actions of the 2024-2025 Roadmap for the Harmonious and Responsible Development of Mining Activity, which consists of “implementing strategies that enable host communities to benefit concretely and sustainably from the presence of mining activity.” 

“It’s an asset and an asset that we will be able to use, exploit, and collaborate to ensure the success of the project,” points out Osisko Metals Chief Executive Officer Robert Wares. 

 Gaspé Mines: A committee to maximize local and regional benefits Read More »

 $2 billion needed to eventually restart Gaspé Mines

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

MURDOCHVILLE: – Osisko Metals might have to invest $2 billion to restart Gaspé Mines operations following announcements made before the holidays. 

That’s according to the mining company’s chief executive officer, Robert Wares, on the sidelines of a January 13 press conference to launch a committee to maximize local economic benefits surrounding the potential resumption of operations in Murdochville. 

In November, in an update, Osisko said the mine site would contain 824 million tonnes of mineralized rocks grading 0.34% in copper and 670 million tonnes grading 0.38%. 

This estimate represented a 53% increase in copper equiv alent metal content over previously reported indicated reIt is estimated to contain 4.91 billion pounds of copper, making it the largest undeveloped deposit in eastern North America. 

In December, Osisko acquired 199 mining claims adjacent to the Gaspé Mines site. 

The company concluded an agreement with two private claim holders on October 8 for five million common shares and a 2% royalty on net smelter returns, half of which is redeemable for $2 million. 

The claims cover lands around the Gaspé Mines project, including portions of the potential tailings facility and exploration targets located north and south of the Murdochville project. 

“We are now at a potentially much larger project. We are very optimistic. We have tripled the resource, but half of this new resource is inferred, which involves a lot of drilling to convert this safer resource category. We want to convert all of these 1.5 billion tonnes to an indicated resource category.

We are looking at 100,000 metres of drilling this summer,” says Mr. Wares. 

These latest announcements have allowed the company to raise $100 million to continue the research. 

“The financial markets were very surprised. No one expected the resource to be this large. I am very confident that we will be able to define it in a pit model and lead to a huge operation over 30 years,” he says. 

“We have a good chance of increasing the grade slightly. When you are talking about an open-pit operation of this magnitude, every decimal point of copper percentage counts. The price of copper is holding up very well. I am considering $4.50 per US pound in the long term, which would make such a project very profitable. Our project is economical at $4.25, but we are at the limit,” says the Osisko Metals manager and former Mines Gaspé geologist. 

The preliminary economic study should be published in 2026 and the feasibility study at the end of 2027 and the decision for exploitation would be made at the end of 2029 with the permits obtained. 

This year’s drilling campaign will look for new mineralized zones. “With the new claims, we have two targets to drill this summer: one north and one south of Murdochville, which could potentially be new discoveries,” says Mr. Wares. 

Pumping tests will be done this summer to dewater the Mount Copper pit, which has so far been the main target of Osisko Metals’ exploration campaign. “To better quantify the impacts of dewatering and if all goes well, we hope to begin dewatering in late fall or in 2026,” says the CEO. 

When the resource was at 500 million tonnes of copper, the company mentioned an investment of about $1.4 billion. 

“We had continued our economic studies and we were at $1.4 billion. With what we are aiming for, which is much bigger, I am sure we will exceed $2 billion,” the manager calculates. 

Osisko met with Ressources Pélican, which wants to renovate the Grande-Vallée wharf, which could change the copper shipping plans. 

Rail was mentioned to send the copper to Rouyn-Noranda and vessels for shipments to Europe. 

“For rail, we had a meeting with Ressources Pélican to ship to Abitibi. It could go through (the wharves of) Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, Grande-Vallée. It is the economic studies that will determine the best method: a combination of road and rail transport. We don’t know, but one thing is certain: for Europe, it will leave from Gaspé,” explains Mr. Wares. 

 $2 billion needed to eventually restart Gaspé Mines Read More »

Caribou to remain in “temporary” captivity

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

SAINTE-ANNE-DES-MONTS – The ten female and three male caribou captured this winter, along with the six surviving calves, might remain in captivity at the Mount McGerrigle enclosure, in the Parc de la Gaspésie, longer than initially planned.

The Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks indicates that “recent observations regarding the low productivity and recruitment rates observed in recent years have led the ministry to consider temporarily keeping a portion of the Gaspésie caribou population in captivity in 2024, rather than using maternity pens involving the annual capture of pregnant females and their release with their calves at the end of the summer, as deployed in 2023,” states the response to an inquiry made by SPEC regarding the 19 caribous being held in captivity.”

Captivity is a final and temporary measure to protect isolated caribou populations in a very precarious situation,” mentions the ministry. The Minister responsible for Wildlife, Benoit Charette, indicated this spring in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts that there were only 24 caribou left in the Gaspésie.

“The presence of three males in the enclosure will allow one or more reproductive cycles to be carried out in captivity and provide the information needed to optimize recruitment while documenting the low pregnancy rates observed in the wild,” the ministry explains in its letter.
Various factors such as survival rates, physical condition, sex ratio or productivity could lead to occasional releases of caribou, as a proportion of nine caribou remain in the wild, assuming those not captured last spring survived predation and the winter.

“The duration of the use of this management measure will be assessed through a multi-criteria analysis taking into consideration, among other things, the parameters mentioned and the deployment of other complementary management measures, such as predator control and habitat restoration,” the ministry explains.

Temporary captivity aims to protect caribou from predators and increase their survival rates. “This reflection demonstrates the ministry’s attention to deploying a dynamic and adaptive management approach that relies on monitoring the biological indicators of the Gaspésie caribou population,” the ministry states in response to our inquiries.


The Haute-Gaspésie receives support

The Côte-de-Gaspé MRC is supporting the Haute-Gaspésie by asking the Quebec government to hold information sessions and public consultations in Haute-Gaspésie due to the impact of the proposed caribou protection measures. The Quebec government announced a pilot project for the caribou population in April and the Haute-Gaspésie is concerned that recreational tourism development could be significantly restricted due to the proposed measures.

Côte-de-Gaspé is also calling for interim measures to be lifted and for the public service to be given clear directives so that sustainable development can continue. The MRC is asking that the wind energy sector and access to territories be taken into account.

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