Overview
- Dominic LeBlanc told a parliamentary committee that “the clock is ticking,” urging rapid action after an updated feasibility study was published more than a month ago.
- Dawn Farrell, head of the federal Major Projects Office, met the Sisson owners in recent weeks and federal officials have signalled they want the remaining proponent work done quickly to enable a national-interest designation.
- The proponents’ new feasibility study raises construction costs to $1.528 billion and ongoing capital to $571 million—more than $2 billion in total—while projecting $19.9 billion in after-tax cash flow and roughly $14.5 billion in taxes and royalties over a 27-year mine life.
- The Elizabeth Fry Society apologised for hosting Marissa Shephard at a Nov. 5 panel after public outcry from victims’ families; Shephard’s 2018 murder conviction was overturned on appeal and she later pleaded guilty to manslaughter and arson and was released in 2024 under conditions.
- Provincial economic moves and local governance issues are active: Premier Susan Holt launched an export-diversification plan targeting Europe and Asia, Campbellton’s delayed 2024 audit showed a $1.799-million surplus, and a public letter urged a review of taxi permits in Greater Moncton to address congestion and safety.