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Operational Compliance and Environmental Management

We are focused on providing effective interpretation and identification of activities required to maintain compliance, as well as establishing environmental management systems and processes.

Overview

The Environmental Management and Compliance (EM&C) team at Falkirk is focused on establishing, managing, and enhancing the Environmental Management System for mining clients. The team can tailor service levels to match the goals of the project and adjusts the program for exploration level projects, through to producing operations and closed legacy sites to ensure requirements are understood and managed effectively. Understanding the key risks and working with site teams to set KPIs is the most effective way to understand and manage the critical controls and oversight needs of a mining operation.

The EM&C team has significant experience with regulatory requirements within Canada and can provide effective interpretation and identification of activities required to maintain compliance, as well as systems and processes to support achieving compliance. Falkirk also is experienced with processes such as BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation’s Notice of Departure self-assessments, and the team can evaluate proposed changes and provide guidance if and when approvals are required with direct engagement of regulators. To track and manage regulatory requirements, Falkirk has standardized our approach through the development of unique site compliance tracking matrices, which can be automated to set reminders to communicate and manage requirements with enough lead time. The team has on the ground experience with establishing compliance assurance processes and procedures, management plans, and effective tracking systems with alignment across complex technical areas. Falkirk also can provide support working towards enhancing environmental management with externally focused sustainability reporting. The team also supports our clients that have ESG reporting requirements and setting sustainability goals. Under the EM&C team are our closure and reclamation lead that work with a team of specialists to complete reclamation and closure planning for regulatory applications and compliance reporting.

Highlights
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Falkirk tracks over 2,000 regulatory and permit requirements for 10 mining operations in active compliance management matrices. These matrices are set up with automation to provide timely email reminders to responsible staff.

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Falkirk works with mining partners to develop robust and effective environmental management systems, and has two environmental management system auditors.

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Falkirk has supported dozens of notice of departure and operational permit amendments to keep work advancing when changes occur.

"This is by far the quickest approval I have ever seen. Utterly remarkable."

— Client on a recent mines act permit amendment

Services

Compliance Requirements Management

  1. Development of tracking matrices and interpretation of required activities to maintain compliance;
  2. Automation of internal notifications;
  3. Establish standardised tracking and reporting of compliance activities;
  4. Support of Notice of Departure assessments and submissions;
  5. Reporting and submission support; and
  6. Regulatory engagement at all stages.

Environmental Management System

  1. Development of corporate policies and EMS documentation;
  2. Assistance with risk assessment and identification of critical controls;
  3. Development of KPIs;
  4. Development of management plans and reviews; and
  5. Commitment tracking.

Site Support

  1. Environmental hazard identification processes;
  2. Managing and reporting non-compliances;
  3. Incident tracking and management;
  4. Environmental Inspections;
  5. Critical controls monitoring and reporting; and

Sustainability and ESG Reporting

  1. Development of goals and data tracking;
  2. ESG and sustainability reporting; and
  3. Assistance with adoption of and participation in Towards Sustainable Mining.

Reclamation and Closure

Our Reclamation and Closure practitioners at Falkirk have the capacity to lead reclamation planning and design of both the terrestrial ecosystem restoration and water management for regulatory applications and compliance reporting. Scope of services include reclamation designs that meet regulatory standards, mitigate environmental effects, and incorporate indigenous and community needs. Our team supports annual reclamation reporting and coordinating five-year mine plan and reclamation updates, reclamation liability cost estimates, and reporting in support of environmental assessments and permitting. The team can support strategies for landform recovery and addressing water management for closure. Reclamation and Closure also closely integrates indigenous and local community needs and through engagement makes them part of the planning, design, and implementation process.

The reclamation and closure services offered by the team in support of the Falkirk Environmental Assessment and Permitting Team include:

  • Incorporating baseline data into reclamation design;
  • Soil salvage and replacement;
  • Predictive ecosystem mapping;
  • Biodiversity management planning;
  • Environmental Effects Assessments for mitigating effects through reclamation and closure planning;
  • Indigenous and Community engagement in support of reclamation and closure;
  • Reclamation planning and establishing terrestrial and water quality monitoring through criteria, indicators, and thresholds;
  • Scenario analyses for water treatment options at closure;
  • Evaluating effluent discharge and contaminants of concern decay curve calculations;
  • Best Available Technology Assessments for Water Treatment at Closure;
  • Conceptual reclamation planning in support of Project Descriptions, and Feasibility Studies (Level 4 Cost Estimates for environmental aspects of reclamation);
  • Closure Water Management Plan;
  • Reclamation Liability Cost Estimation; and
  • Reclamation data management for regulatory submission.

The reclamation and closure services that support our Environmental Management & Compliance team include either leading report compilation or review and signing as third part quality review to meet permit requirements. Specific services related to compliance for reclamation and closure include:

  • Qualified professional review of Annual Reclamation Reports and Cost estimates;
  • Updates to annual reclamation databases and creating shapefiles for regulatory submission;
  • Updates to the five-year reclamation Closure and Reclamation Plan;
  • GIS Analysis. Analyses includes calculating areas disturbed and reclaimed;
  • Reclamation Liability Cost Estimate updates; and
  • Compliance risk assessment and prioritizing reclamation activities.

Our reclamation and closure practitioners are a multi-disciplinary team of reclamation specialists, engineers, indigenous engagement specialists, ecologists, water modellers and water quality scientists, data scientists, and GIS analysts.

  1. Compliance requirements management
    1. Development of tracking matrices and interpretation of required activities to maintain compliance;
    2. Automation of internal notifications;
    3. Establish standardised tracking and reporting of compliance activities;
    4. Support of Notice of Departure assessments and submissions;
    5. Reporting and submission support; and
    6. Regulatory engagement at all stages.
  2. Environmental Management System
    1. Development of corporate policies and EMS documentation;
    2. Assistance with risk assessment and identification of critical controls;
    3. Development of KPIs;
    4. Development of management plans and reviews; and
    5. Commitment tracking.
  3. Site support
    1. Environmental hazard identification processes;
    2. Managing and reporting non-compliances;
    3. Incident tracking and management;
    4. Environmental Inspections;
    5. Critical controls monitoring and reporting; and
  4. Sustainability and ESG reporting
    1. Development of goals and data tracking;
    2. ESG and sustainability reporting; and
    3. Assistance with adoption of and participation in Towards Sustainable Mining.
  5. Reclamation and Closure

Our Reclamation and Closure practitioners at Falkirk have the capacity to lead reclamation planning and design of both the terrestrial ecosystem restoration and water management for regulatory applications and compliance reporting. Scope of services include reclamation designs that meet regulatory standards, mitigate environmental effects, and incorporate indigenous and community needs. Our team supports annual reclamation reporting and coordinating five-year mine plan and reclamation updates, reclamation liability cost estimates, and reporting in support of environmental assessments and permitting. The team can support strategies for landform recovery and addressing water management for closure. Reclamation and Closure also closely integrates indigenous and local community needs and through engagement makes them part of the planning, design, and implementation process.

The reclamation and closure services offered by the team in support of the Falkirk Environmental Assessment and Permitting Team include:

  • Incorporating baseline data into reclamation design;
  • Soil salvage and replacement;
  • Predictive ecosystem mapping;
  • Biodiversity management planning;
  • Environmental Effects Assessments for mitigating effects through reclamation and closure planning;
  • Indigenous and Community engagement in support of reclamation and closure;
  • Reclamation planning and establishing terrestrial and water quality monitoring through criteria, indicators, and thresholds;
  • Scenario analyses for water treatment options at closure;
  • Evaluating effluent discharge and contaminants of concern decay curve calculations;
  • Best Available Technology Assessments for Water Treatment at Closure;
  • Conceptual reclamation planning in support of Project Descriptions, and Feasibility Studies (Level 4 Cost Estimates for environmental aspects of reclamation);
  • Closure Water Management Plan;
  • Reclamation Liability Cost Estimation; and
  • Reclamation data management for regulatory submission.

The reclamation and closure services that support our Environmental Management & Compliance team include either leading report compilation or review and signing as third part quality review to meet permit requirements. Specific services related to compliance for reclamation and closure include:

  • Qualified professional review of Annual Reclamation Reports and Cost estimates;
  • Updates to annual reclamation databases and creating shapefiles for regulatory submission;
  • Updates to the five-year reclamation Closure and Reclamation Plan;
  • GIS Analysis. Analyses includes calculating areas disturbed and reclaimed;
  • Reclamation Liability Cost Estimate updates; and
  • Compliance risk assessment and prioritizing reclamation activities.

Our reclamation and closure practitioners are a multi-disciplinary team of reclamation specialists, engineers, indigenous engagement specialists, ecologists, water modellers and water quality scientists, data scientists, and GIS analysts.

Project Team

Kate Mueller
01 / 05
Kate Mueller
Practice Lead, Environmental Management and Compliance

Kate is a registered Professional Engineer and regulatory specialist with 23 years’ experience in the mining industry. Kate’s experience was gained in mining operations, engineering consulting, and regulatory positions with significant time in senior leadership roles.

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Nicole McLaren
01 / 05
Nicole McLaren
Sustainability Lead

Nicole McLaren is an accomplished Indigenous professional in the mining industry with over 16years of senior experience in geology, corporate sustainability, Indigenous Peoples relations,and economic development.

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Kellie Leedham
01 / 05
Kellie Leedham
Regulatory Compliance Specialist

Kellie brings an academic background in environmental sciences to natural resource projects and industrial operations.

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Grace Mohan
01 / 05
Grace Mohan
Project Coordinator, Environmental Analyst

Grace joins the Falkirk team with a strong background in environmental engineering and business management along with a diverse experience in social work and community development.

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Natalie Tashe
01 / 05
Natalie Tashe
Reclamation and Closure Specialist

Natalie Tashe is a Professional Agrologist trained in project management and brings over 20 years’ experience in terrestrial environmental assessments throughout Western and Northern Canada in leading both Provincial and Federal environmental impact assessments, permitting applications, and environmental design and compliance for existing mine operations.

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Katherine Arnold
01 / 05
Katherine Arnold
Mine Permitting and Compliance Expert

Ms. Arnold is a regional expert on mine permitting and compliance in the southern region of the United States with over 30 years of mining experience. Her most recent project was the successful completion of a 12-year permitting process for a large open pit mining project near Tucson, Arizona.

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Laura Smithies
01 / 05
Laura Smithies
Regulatory Specialist

Laura Smithies is an Environmental Professional with over 30 years of experience serving the mining, oil, and gas industries. She has worked on mining projects as a consultant since 2018 providing the experience gained as an environmental professional in the mining industry. Laura has held roles of Permitting Specialist and Discipline Lead for federal, provincial environmental assessments and federal permitting (Fisheries Act and Metal Mining Effluent Regulations, Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEAA 2012).

View Bio
Kate Mueller
Nicole McLaren
Kellie Leedham
Grace Mohan
Natalie Tashe
Katherine Arnold
Laura Smithies
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Project Profiles

Multiple Projects

Client — Osisko Development Corporation (ODV)

As an Owner’s representative, Falkirk provides ODV with permitting, compliance and regulatory oversight support at both current operations and sites in closure. Activities include the development of compliance tracking matrixes, support with Notice of Departure assessments, regulator engagement strategy and communications, and support of the development of compliance related submissions for government and closure and reclamation. This work also includes automation to track compliance requirements and communication using a data visitation dashboard tool. Other compliance tasks include oversight of reclamation and closure design, planning and liability cost estimation and tailings management on multiple projects for ODV.

Additional services provided to ODV include regulatory oversight, quality review of water balance, water quality, and mixing zone modelling as well as developing a corporate water stewardship strategy and support in ESG reporting.

Bonanza Ledge Phase II Project

Client — Barkerville Gold Mines

As the Owner’s representative, Falkirk successfully led the development, submission, and review of the Joint Mine’s Act/Environmental Management Act Permit Amendment Application with receipt of all permits provided by the British Columbia government.

Premier Gold Project

Client — Ascot Resources Ltd.

As the Owner’s representative, Falkirk was responsible for the overall advancement of permitting required to restart this mine. This included the submission of the application targeting the Mine’s Act and Environmental Management Act permits. Falkirk was also responsible for the Socio-economics and engagement with Nisga’a First Nation and their technical consultant team, which included Treaty 8e and 8f assessments under the Nisga’a Final Agreement. Through clear communication and transparency, Falkirk has aligned with the Nisga’a Nation on key decision points throughout the entire process.

Red Mountain Underground Gold Project

Client — IDM Mining Ltd.

As the Owner’s representative, Falkirk was responsible for all scoping, scheduling, budgeting, liaison, submission, and finalization of the Environmental Assessment documentation required under the BC Environmental Assessment Act and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. Falkirk was responsible for the development of all exploration and operational permits (provincial and federal) and directed consultant deliverables including baseline studies, design, modelling, permitting.

Shasta Baker Project

Client — TDG Gold Corp.

Falkirk is the Lead Consultant with overall responsibility for project management, study coordination and the final deliverables for baseline studies, procurement, and leading environmental compliance and permitting. Falkirk also functions as the Indigenous Advisory team for this company, including negotiations with Indigenous communities and governments, consultation, development of engagement plans and strategies, and policy development.

The Falkirk team has also supported water quality impact assessment and gap analysis of the current water quality information to support regulatory applications.

Bralorne Gold Mines / Spences Bridge

Client — Talisker Resources Ltd.

Talisker Resources Ltd. has utilized Falkirk as an Owners’ Representative for project permitting, water treatment, Indigenous Engagement and Negotiations on multiple projects throughout British Columbia.

At Talisker’s Bralorne Gold Mine, Falkirk has undertaken the development and negotiation of mutually beneficial agreements between the company and relevant Indigenous communities, facilitation of quarterly Environmental Monitoring Board meetings (permit condition), growth of relationships through appropriate cultural lenses, and ongoing updates and communication between the company and the Indigenous communities in its project areas.

Falkirk has been instrumental in establishing both business and community partnerships associated with Talisker’s projects across British Columbia. Sensitive to Indigenous ways of knowing and interacting with the land, Falkirk’s Christy Smith has facilitated authentic and long-standing relationships between Talisker, and a number of Indigenous Nations, including Nation-led capacity building and community support initiatives.

Scottie Gold Project

Client — Scottie Gold Ltd.

Falkirk is currently the Lead Consultant for project management, regulatory approvals, environmental compliance, and study coordination for the delivery of baseline results to support the project.

Become a client

We pride ourselves on working with clients in a strategic and collaborative way to get the results that you need. Our motto is to “get it right, the first time” and we would welcome the chance to hear from you and discuss how our people and services could help you, your community or your firm to achieve the outcomes that you are looking for.

Let's get to work

Design your career

We are always looking for people who share our mission to provide unparalleled service to our clients and work to make the world a better place. If you are looking to expand your horizons, make a shift in your career or just explore new opportunities to work in one of our key Practice Areas, please reach out and let us know.

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378 Esplanade E
North Vancouver, BC V7L 1A4
T: +1 (604) 336-6066

 

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