Work plan and investments in the restoration of abandoned mining sites

Since 2007, the government has been recording its environmental liabilities, meaning it identifies contaminated lands that need to be rehabilitated and estimates the amounts needed to carry out this work. The Ministère des Ressources naturelles et des Forêts (MRNF) is responsible for taking action on abandoned mine sites. These sites are considered abandoned because the people in charge of them are not known or solvent. They may also have been transferred to the government in the past.

As of March 31, 2025, the MRNF has estimated the cost of rehabilitating abandoned mine sites at $1.25 billion for the 338 abandoned mine sites under its responsibility.

Each year, the MRNF produces a work plan and report to meet its obligations. For details on these sites and their status, refer to the following document:

2025-2026 Work Plan for the Reclamation of Abandoned Mine Sites under the Real Responsibility of the State (in French only) (PDF 1.02 Mb)

• 2025-2026 Work Plan Report for the Reclamation of Abandoned Mine Sites (to come)

As of March 31, 2024, the government has invested $248.2 million to reclaim, secure, maintain and monitor abandoned mine sites since 2007.

The MNRF publishes annually a list of contracts awarded for the reclamation of abandoned mine sites.

You can track the rehabilitation of contaminated sites under the responsibility of the State (in French only).