As indicated, you are invited to participate in the next community meeting on June 17th: Teams Meeting Link
- We want to reiterate that we are early in the project development, and we want to do the work to better define the project footprint. Our goal is to develop this project in harmony with nature and make it sustainable.
- We are listening to community concerns and are addressing those as we further develop the project.
- We have heard that the location where the proposed waste rock pile was to be created raised concerns, and we are investigating other locations. This is now being done as a part of the pre-feasibility study.
- We have often said that we are open to working with the communities to respect their summer season and have committed to not working during the summer season to allow for the tourist industry.
- We have heard that the local communities and First Nations would prefer to have the open pits backfilled and will include this in the next iterations of the pre-feasibility study.
- Lomiko intends to design and build a separate private road from the site to the highway to avoid transport through the community.
- Lomiko also offered the waste rock to the local communities to use as aggregate stone and to sell and generate income for decades to come. Lomiko’s CEO also worked at the site in Newfoundland, which is actually selling their waste rock as aggregate and generating revenue following the site closure.
- We also committed to not working at Carmin as we understand the importance of it to the local groups.
- We are open to hearing citizens’ concerns and will work to address them as we move forward.
Quebec is rich in mineral resources and this is giving the province a competitive advantage on the global scene. Graphite is used in many industrial applications as a fire retardant, in electric motors, batteries and energy storage. It is also important to consider the economic benefits and new job creation that this project may bring. We are talking about 150 good-paying jobs for a long time. The new project may bring many services to the area.
Lomiko is a people-first operator of choice in Quebec exploring and developing its natural flake graphite and lithium properties for a North American climate success story
What does it mean to be people-first?
We believe in excellence. Climate success stories are built by Canadians and First Nations where communities benefit directly from our natural flake graphite project in Southern Quebec.
We respect the concerns of communities and will continue to listen to and respond to all concerns and questions. We acknowledge that more education is needed on developing domestic critical minerals for our Electric Vehicle future.
What is our vision for the Laurentides region?
A Plan Sud that is unique for the region, where Lomiko becomes a valued member of the community as an environmental project – a climate success story. We co-exist and contribute to economic and social well being in the community. The carbon footprint of the operation is reduced to zero or less. Our vision is to monitor, maintain and become active stewards of lake water quality in the region. Graphite processing isn’t one that usually impacts water quality as it is one of the materials used to purify the water.
Lomiko’s PEA establishes it will contribute over $130m in wages to the local community and $240m taxes
What actions have we taken so far for social acceptability?
- Met face to face with mayors and councillors across the region and Provincial and Federal Ministries to introduce our vision for responsible development of graphite;
- Provided regular updates to Kitigan Zibi First Nation;
- Provided regular updates to the local community on permitting and exploration processes (before and when on site) and to Club des 12, local hunting lodge and the snowmobile association;
- Recorded over 180 documented interactions with local community members from community email, 1-800 number and in-person meetings; established complaint management protocol;
- Achieved ECOLOGO certification;
- Completed noise monitoring study during drilling activities at the Battery zone which is 1,000m from Lac Doré and local cottages. Summary of the results published on our website;
- Fully updated community website with Frequently Asked Questions and reclamation vision video available on: https://lomiko.com/la–loutre–community–updates/;
- Provided updated land acknowledgments on all company materials;
- Adopted a listen first approach and early engagement strategy with First Nations and commissioned artwork from a Mohawk artist to visually show our commitments;
- Have First Nations representation on board and advisory team;
- Civic duties: Numerous educational presentations and web based events, including presentations to Ontario high school on critical minerals development in Canada and Canadian Air Force Base Trenton 8 Wing;
- Met and collaborated with local businesses.
What commitments have you made?
- TIAM: offer to pay for independent consultants to review our studies at any stage of the project and monitor lake water outside of La Loutre claims, at our cost;
- Commitment to engage with municipalities and development of advisory groups prior to BAPE and commitment to follow through with all government processes including BAPE;
- Exploration and development limitations at Carmin acquisition from existing park boundaries;
- Truth and Reconciliation Action Call to Action #92: Indigenous-led environmental impact processes, equity partnership and collaboration;
- Inclusive and diverse operations at all levels: 50% of directors are women and two of three Executive Officers are female.
What Quebec groups are you working with and what is your commitment to Quebec?
We are committed to doing business in Québec:
- InnovExplo will complete the resource update for La Loutre graphite project Breakaway Exploration Management – managing the Company’s exploration programs is Québec based, Forage Diafor, the Company’s diamond drilling provider is Val-dÓr based;
- SOQUEM to become a Lomiko shareholder and partner on closing of Carmin acquisition;
- University of Laval to complete genesis study on La Loutre deposit;
- IIRAP funded Montreal-based Environmental Coordinator;
- Management actively learning French;
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION!
The new management team at Lomiko is looking forward to getting to know the community and the various interests they have in the project and the land. We remain very open to listening to the communities needs and want to work with the local communities to address their concerns as we move forward.
We are all also very excited about the opportunity to be part of the New Energy Transition by being able to source graphite from La Loutre. Graphite is a core component for contributing to the net-zero carbon economy we need as a global community. Graphite is one of the key green battery materials required for building our sustainable future: it is highly conductive and used in electric vehicle (EV) batteries, electrodes, large-scale energy storage systems and solar cells… and this is just the beginning.
This is the start of a conversation as we engage in building a dynamic dialogue with a everyone. There will be many more visits to further meet with you and get the opportunity to exchange and discuss everyone’s points of interests.
Feel free to reach out to us using the form below, or by email at communaute@lomiko.com.
We look forward to getting to know each and every one of you.