HALIFAX – Some Nova Scotia environmental advocates and physicians told a legislature committee today that a government bill opening the door to uranium exploration and fracking is dangerous and should be scrapped.
The proposed legislation would repeal the existing Uranium Exploration and Mining Prohibition Act to allow for research about the presence of uranium in Nova Scotia and change the Petroleum Resources Act to “create the potential” for hydraulic fracking of onshore natural gas.
When the bill was introduced on Feb. 18, Premier Tim Houston told reporters the changes were needed to make the province more self-reliant and better able to withstand economic challenges stemming from U.S. President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs.
Two members of the Nova Scotia arm of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment voiced their opposition to the bill and told the committee there are significant environmental and health risks associated with fracking and mining.
Meanwhile, Sean Kirby with the Mining Association of Nova Scotia argued in favour of the bill and said the risks that people associate with uranium exploration and mining may be misconceptions based on outdated information.
Madeline Conacher of the group Sustainable Northern Nova Scotia told the committee she is concerned the province seems to be fast-tracking the controversial endeavours without consulting residents and Mi’kmaq communities.
The Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq Chiefs said in a letter to Houston last month that the bill is another example of the government choosing not to engage with Mi’kmaq people before introducing major changes affecting Indigenous communities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 17, 2025.
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