CanWhite Sands (CWS), an Alberta based company, is proposing to mine 1.3 million tonnes of silica sand a year from the southeastern region of Manitoba for the next 24 years.  

The unconventional extraction method employed by CWS, by sucking the silica sand up from far beneath the ground may contaminate, with deleterious substances, the aquifer that supplies potable water for all of southeastern Manitoba, potentially rendering this important source of water unusable for drinking.

Before CWS silica sand mine becomes fully operational, they will need to first submit an Environment Act Proposal sometime in 2021, with the Province of Manitoba, for review and approval, for its silica sand mine, the unconventional silica sand extraction method and other mining related activities.

We therefore, demand that an independent public panel review process be established to review CWS silica sand mine, its unconventional mining method and the legally required mine closures plan.

We also demand that CWS be required to submit a full Environmental Impact Statement, along with the required Environment Act Proposal, for its silica sand mine, unconventional mining method and the require mine closure plan for review by an independent public panel review process.

Finally, we demand that the government of Manitoba hold off on issuing an Environmental Licence for CWS silica sand processing facility, until such a time that an independent public panel review process of CWS silica sand mine, its unconventional mining method and the required mine closure plan has concluded and been approved.