On March 18, 2025, the Commission de Protection du Territoire Agricole du Québec (CPTAQ) denied Canada Carbon’s request for the Miller Mine Project. The project, which aimed to develop an exploratory graphite mine on 85 hectares of forested land in Grenville-sur-la-Rouge (GSLR), faced vocal opposition from concerned residents, organizations, and GSLR council.
Following a December 2024 public hearing requested by Canada Carbon, the CPTAQ ultimately concluded that the project lacked clear economic benefits for the community, stating “Despite the low economic index of the municipality and the MRC of Argenteuil, the Commission is not convinced that the economic benefits anticipated by Canada Carbon Inc. will be significant.”
“On the one hand, these benefits are poorly detailed, even hypothetical, and neither the municipality nor the MRC have mentioned them as a structuring and determining factor for their community,” the decision continued.
The subject site is located approximately 241 metres west of Lac Ogilvy and south of Rivière du Calumet, and approximately 1.4 kilometres north of Autoroute 50 toward chemin Scotch. The area is entirely wooded, with the majority of the area being a maple grove protected by the Act respecting the preservation of agricultural land and agricultural activities, specifically because of maple sugar production in the area.
The ruling stated that authorizing the project would destroy all maple-growing potential in the affected areas during the mine work, but also for the following decades, as establishing future maple sugar groves can take many years.
Additionally, the CPTAQ ruled that the project poses a direct threat to local businesses that contribute to municipal economic development, specifically Camp Amy Molson and the André St-Pierre maple sugar forests.
“In light of the testimony gathered by residents, it is reasonable to believe that the project will be unfavourable to certain local businesses;” Camp Amy Molson alone faces the potential loss of approximately 80 jobs.
Unlike other cases of proposed mining projects, the CPTAQ found that “there does not appear to be good collaboration between all interested stakeholders, since the Municipality of Grenville-sur-la-Rouge, the Argenteuil MRC, the Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) Outaouais-Laurentides, and many neighbours oppose the project.”
Reacting to the decision, lawyer and co-head of the national program at MiningWatch Canada and co-spokesperson for the QMM Coalition Rodrigue Turgeon emphasized the role of local citizens in resisting the project. He stated that residents continued “defending their living environment for years against repeated attacks by the mining company, Canada Carbon, including the $96 million SLAPP lawsuit. It is time for the path of reason to follow that of justice.”
Mayor of Grenville-sur-la-Rouge Tom Arnold stated, “The municipal council is happy, satisfied, and relieved that the CPTAQ rendered a decision that assures the preservation of our agricultural lands and operations including maple syrup production. This file has been a significant financial burden on our municipality and its citizens, and we hope that this long saga is finally over.”
Councillor Denis Fillion also showed support for the decision, “The CPTAQ has chosen to support the local farming activities and Camp Amy Molson and confirms that the mining project is not a fit on this landscape. Social acceptability remains a key issue, and this project is not at all acceptable.”
