North Island Mine Project – Public notice – Comments invited on the Initial Project Description and participant funding available

OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 10, 2026 /CNW/ — North Island Mining Corp. (the proponent) is proposing the construction, operation, and decommissioning of a new copper and gold mine, located approximately 25 kilometres west of Port Hardy, British Columbia.

The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) and British Columbia’s Environmental Assessment Office (the EAO) invite you to:

• Review and provide feedback on the Initial Project Description or the summary document; and
• Provide comments as to whether the EAO should conduct the project assessment on behalf of IAAC, meeting both federal and provincial legislative requirements.

Comments received will help IAAC and the EAO prepare the joint Summary of Issues and Engagement document. Comments will also help IAAC determine whether an impact assessment is required, refine its focus, and identify federal permits that may be required to support federal review coordination.

The comment period runs from November 10, 2026, to December 10, 2026, closing at 11:59 p.m. PCT.

Where to comment

• Federal: project registry homepage 
  • Email [email protected] to provide input in a different format
• Provincial: engage.eao.gov.bc.ca/NorthIsland-EE
  • By mail: North Island Mine Project, PO box 9426, Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, B.C. V8W 9V1

Comments only need to be submitted once, either to IAAC or the EAO, to be considered in both federal and provincial assessment processes. Comments are considered public and will be published online. Feedback sent to IAAC may be submitted in English or French.

Information sessions
IAAC and the EAO will be hosting the following information sessions to learn about the project assessment:

• In-person: November 26, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. PCT
  • Location: Kwa’lilas Hotel, Ballroom (9040 Granville Street, Port Hardy, B.C.)
• Virtual: December 1, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. PCT

To attend a session, please register at: engage.eao.gov.bc.ca/NorthIsland-EE.

French sessions are available upon request.

Participant funding
IAAC supports participation in assessments through its Participation Funding Program. Visit the project registry homepage to learn about and apply for funding to support your participation in the planning phase of the assessment (application deadline: December 10, 2026).

Questions about the program should be directed to [email protected] or 1-866-582-1884.

Substitution request
The Government of British Columbia has requested that if a federal impact assessment is required, the process be substituted to the province. If the federal Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature grants the request, the EAO would conduct the project’s impact assessment on behalf of IAAC, meeting both federal and provincial legislative requirements. IAAC is seeking your comments on this request.

Additional information
For more information on IAAC, the project, and the federal review process, visit canada.ca/iaac. For more information on the project and the provincial assessment process, visit gov.bc.ca/eao.

SOURCE Impact Assessment Agency of Canada