Investing in Canada’s clean tech ecosystem will promote effective mining waste management while reducing greenhouse gases

Minister Bibeau announces $1.2 million to help a Thetford Mines company develop new technologies that will improve mining operations and produce cleaner ore

A more economical and environmentally friendly approach to capturing arsenic waste from mining operations may soon be developed thanks to an investment in new clean technologies from the Government of Canada.

The federal investment of $1.2 million was announced today by the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophone and Member of Parliament for Compton–Stanstead, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.

Dundee Sustainable Technologies will use the funding to develop a process to separate the arsenic waste commonly produced through mining operations and trap it in stable, non-toxic glass. This technology, to be developed in a factory in Namibia, will be able to be incorporated into existing mining operations both in Canada and around the world. This new technology will enable the production of cleaner ore from deposits. It could even be used to clean up abandoned mines that contain high levels of arsenic waste that pose a risk to the ecosystem.

This project is being funded through Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), which helps Canadian companies move toward the commercialization of early-stage clean technologies.

Investments in clean technology are part of the Government’s Innovation and Skills Plan, a multi-year strategy to create well-paying jobs for the middle class and those working hard to join it. Investments in clean technology also support the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change.

Quotes

“Investments such as the one we’re celebrating today at Dundee Sustainable Technologies are essential for ensuring Canada’s transition to a greener economy. Innovations related to waste from mining operations are especially important for our region because they help us find more energy-efficient solutions that are better for the environment.”

– The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie

“Our government’s investments in clean technology reflect our commitment to protecting the planet. But they also point to our clear and strategic direction for economic development through innovation. That’s because innovations in the clean tech sector can lead to products and services that will have an impact on all sectors of the economy. And clean tech has the potential to create thousands of well-paying jobs for Canadians. That’s how innovation leads to a better Canada.”

– The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

“Dundee Sustainable Technologies’ arsenic sequestration technology will be used to clean up mining sites that are polluted and reduce the environmental degradation of soil at mine sites. This groundbreaking technology will deliver real environmental and economic benefits for all Canadians.”

– Leah Lawrence, President and CEO, Sustainable Development Technology Canada

“This program is the next logical step for our company to fully commercialize the arsenic technology. Dundee Sustainable Technologies is currently working on development projects in the arsenopyrite and cobalt space that will benefit from this work. We would like to thank SDTC and the Government of Canada for their continued support of our Canadian-made technologies.”

– Brian Howlett, President and CEO, Dundee Sustainable Technologies

Quick Facts

To help clean technology firms grow, the Innovation and Skills Plan includes investments of nearly $1.4 billion in new financing on a cash basis, starting in 2017–18. This new financing, through the Business Development Bank of Canada and Export Development Canada, is being allocated as follows: $950 million in growth capital and approximately $450 million in additional project finance for clean technology producers.

Budget 2017 also made available $400 million to recapitalize Sustainable Development Technology Canada’s SD Tech Fund, which supports the development and demonstration of early-stage clean technology projects.