Responsible environmental stewardship is fundamental to how we operate. We work to identify, manage, and reduce environmental impacts throughout the mining lifecycle, from exploration and operations to closure. We also recognize the importance of protecting the environment for the Indigenous groups, communities, and stakeholders connected to our operations.
Our activities are governed by federal and provincial regulations, permits, and internal standards that guide how we manage water, air emissions, tailings, waste, biodiversity, and land use.
Our activities are governed by federal and provincial regulations, permits, and internal standards that guide how we manage water, air emissions, tailings, waste, biodiversity, and land use. We monitor performance against regulatory requirements, conduct inspections and audits, and report results to government agencies as required.
At Eagle River and Kiena, site-specific environmental management and monitoring programs support compliance, risk management, and continuous improvement. Environmental performance, risks, and objectives are reviewed regularly by site leadership, senior management, and the Board of Directors to ensure accountability and responsible decision-making.
Details on our environmental performance are available in our latest ESG Report.
For further information on how we manage specific environmental areas of our business, please refer to:
Water Management
Tailings and Waste Rock Management
Climate Change, Emissions and Energy Use
Air Quality, Noise and Vibration Management
Land Use, Biodiversity Managementand Closure
Waste and Hazardous Materials
Water is an integral component of mining and processing our ore, and we closely manage how we use, store and treat water at our mine sites to ensure environmental protection. We understand that while water is fundamental to our business, it is also a public resource that supports ecosystems and people.
At both of our mine sites, we have water management standards and procedures in place to minimize and mitigate any adverse impacts on water quantity or quality, while ensuring compliance with all permits and authorizations.
We maintain a water balance to understand, predict and evaluate the volumes and sources of water that interact with our operations. Having a thorough understanding of our water management needs allows us to invest in appropriate infrastructure and identify opportunities for improved water efficiency. We do not operate in regions of high or extremely high baseline water stress.
Our approach to water management is outlined in our Tailings Management & Water Stewardship Policy as well as our Environment Policy and Sustainability Policy. In addition, we are working to align with the Level A commitments of the Mining Associations of Canada’s Towards Sustainable Mining Water Stewardship Protocol.
Eagle River
At Eagle River, water management plans are in place for both the underground mine and the processing plant/tailings management area to ensure regulatory compliance and responsible practises at both areas of the mine site. A site-wide Water Sampling and Analysis Procedure is in place to guide monitoring and reporting in line with all compliance requirements. The site’s processing plant operates on a closed-loop system that recirculates processed water from the tailings management area to ensure we recycle as much water through the system as possible, reducing the amount of freshwater we need to withdraw from the environment. the site’s tailings management area, where all process waste is stored, is designed to adapt to seasonal variations in weather, collect surface runoff to minimize withdrawals from area waterbodies, and treat excess water to ensure it meets or exceeds regulatory requirements prior to discharge.
Kiena
At Kiena, a site-wide water management plan is in place to proactively manage water quantity and quality across the operation, support regulatory compliance, and inform operational decision-making through a comprehensive understanding of site water flows, storage, treatment, and discharge. Environment team members are the mine are active participants in the regional watershed management committee for Abitibi-Témiscamingue, to ensure an understanding of, and participation in, regional watershed management and stewardship activities.
At the mine site, dewatering from underground workings occurs on a regular basis where water is recirculated for use in mining activities, such as drilling. The site’s mill reuses water stored in the tailings management area for use in processing ore. When needed, we treat water using advanced filtration and reverse osmosis before discharge into the environment. We run a comprehensive groundwater monitoring program that also includes monitor nearby residential wells, and during the winter we collect and transfer accumulated snowfall from the mine site to our tailings storage area to ensure it is contained, treated, and safely discharged within compliance limits.
Additional water-related governance and risk disclosures are provided in Wesdome’s Annual Information Form.
Wesdome maintains systems and processes to track water management performance across its operations, including water withdrawal, use, recycling, discharge quality, and compliance with regulatory requirements and permits. Site-level water balances are used to monitor flows and inform operational decision-making, infrastructure planning, and risk management.
Performance is reviewed against internal standards and regulatory thresholds, with monitoring programs in place to verify water quality and quantity outcomes. For detailed performance data and year-over-year trends, refer to the Company’s latest ESG Report.
EAGLE RIVER
1,053,005†
Total Cubic Metres ofFreshwater Withdrawn
96,392†
Total Cubic Metres ofWater Consumed
KIENA
925,851†
348,417†
† Information as of December 31, 2025
Tailings and waste rock are important by-products of our mining activities. Waste rock is generated when we blast rock to access ore, and tailings is the waste product from processing ore to extract metals (in our case, gold). We store tailings waste in Tailings Management Areas (TMAs) so it does not enter the environment, as it can contain small traces of heavy metals and other contaminants. The safe containment and management of tailings waste within our TMAs is critically important and we have put in place a robust governance and monitoring program as a result that include annual reviews of our facilities by independent, third-party experts.
We seek to continuously improve our tailings management practices by participating within multiple industry tailings-related associations and conferences and are working towards alignment with the Mining Association of Canada’s Towards Sustainable Mining Tailings Management Protocol. Our governance and management practises are also informed by the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management.
Waste rock generated from mining and development activities is managed to minimize environmental risk, with a focus on water quality and long-term stability. Wesdome applies a risk-based approach supported by geochemical characterization, operational controls, and ongoing monitoring.
At both Eagle River and Kiena, waste rock is assessed for acid rock drainage (ARD) and metal leaching potential. These results inform handling, segregation, and storage practices, with potentially acid-generating (PAG) and non-acid generating (NAG) materials managed in accordance with site-specific procedures to limit oxidation and water interaction.
Waste rock is stored in designated, engineered facilities designed to maintain stability and mitigate environmental impacts. Controls such as selective placement, encapsulation, and runoff management are applied where required and integrated into mine planning and closure strategies.
Monitoring programs are in place to verify performance, including routine inspections and regular sampling of runoff and contact water for metals, sulphur, and carbonate. Results are reviewed to confirm the effectiveness of controls and support adaptive management. Based on current assessments, there is no acid rock drainage predicted or under active mitigation at either Eagle River or Kiena.
Waste rock management is guided by regulatory requirements, internal standards, and alignment with the Mining Association of Canada’s Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) framework. As part of the Company’s Sustainability Management System development, efforts are underway to standardize practices and strengthen performance tracking across operations. Additional performance data is available under Reports & Documents.
The operation of our TMAs is the responsibility of site-based Responsible Tailings Facility Engineers, (RTFEs) who report to mine site General Managers. Site RTFEs are supported by external Engineers of Record (EOR) in place for each TMA as well as Wesdome’s Corporate Director of Tailings & Water Management.
Our Chief Operating Officer (COO) holds overall accountability for Wesdome’s operations and therefore, the management of the TMAs at our mine sites.
The COO is responsible for ensuring that a qualified RTFE and EOR are in place at each site with an operational TMA.
Tailings management activities and the design, construction and operation of our TMAs are reviewed annually by the Company’s Independent Tailings Review Board (ITRB), which consists of two independent, third-party experts – a geotechnical engineer and a hydrogeologist.
On a quarterly basis, the Technical, Safety and Sustainability Committee of the Wesdome Board of Directors receives performance and project updates relating to tailings management, as well as all annual tailings-related reports such as Dam Safety Inspections and ITRB reports.
The following policies set the foundation for our approach to tailings and waste rock management:
Tailings and Water Stewardship Policy Environmental Policy Sustainability Policy Health and Safety Policy
Tailings dam inundation and breach studies have been performed at both our operating sites to enhance our understanding of the risk that may be associated with the operation of our Tailings Management Areas (TMAs). These studies inform the actions we take towards achieving a risk profile that is “As Low As Reasonably Practical”. They also inform emergency response and preparedness plans.
Operation, Maintenance, and Surveillance Manuals are in place for each TMA and outline the procedures, monitoring activities, and training requirements associated with responsible management of the facilities. TMA surveillance activities include daily and monthly inspections, monitoring real-time data instrumentation, performing annual Dam Safety Inspections (conducted by the Engineer of Record of the TMA), and undertaking independent Dam Safety Reviews (DSRs) every five years. DSRs are always performed by geotechnical engineers from independent, third-party engineering consulting firms. Annually since 2023, our Independent Tailings Review Board has conducted mine site visits and management performance reviews, reporting their findings directly to the Company COO and Board of Directors.
Additional tailings-related governance details and risk disclosures are provided in Wesdome’s Annual Information Form.
Each Wesdome mine site has emergency response and preparedness plans in place that outline the procedures, resources, and training required to protect employees, contractors, infrastructure, and the environment during an incident.
As our Kiena is located in close proximity to residential dwellings, the mine site’s Emergency Response Plan also outlines how the local community will be protected in the event of an incident or emergency.
A Company-wide Incident Response and Investigation Standard is also in place, which ensures consistency in recording, investigating and reporting incidents whenever they may occur.
Our tailings-related and incident response training programs are updated regularly following the learnings from incident investigations and evolving industry best practices, and mock emergency response drills are conducted at both our mine sites to test notification systems and response procedures.
Crisis management plans are a component of our broader Occupational Health and Safety Management System, described in the Health and Safety section of our website.
Mining relies on diverse energy sources and has the potential to have a significant carbon footprint. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated by the mining industry has drawn increasing attention in recent year from regulators, investors, and the public. For this reason, since 2020, we have measured and reported publicly on the GHG emissions produced from our mining activities, as well as conducted energy source mapping and build GHG emission forecast models to understand what our GHG emissions will be over the life of our mines. These models also allow us to assess how changes to our operations, for example, replacing diesel equipment with hybrid-electric equipment might have on our life of mine emissions. We are committed to understanding, adapting to, and mitigating climate change risks on an on-going basis by closely managing our energy use and monitoring our GHG emissions.
In 2022, we contracted a third-party firm to perform climate risk assessments for both Eagle River and Kiena. We assessed climate-related physical risks at both mine sites using a 2°C or lower scenario, covering short-term (2011–2040) and medium-term (2041–2070) horizons, and based on the following guiding standards:
Heavy snowfall may disrupt water storage systems, road and highway access, and helicopter pad access.
Heavy snowfall and wildfires are the most critical risks. Wildfires could block access roads and disrupt power, telecommunication, and ventilation systems.
Increased frequency of extreme weather events, such as heavy rain, storms, drought, and heat, which may interrupt ventilation systems, water supply, power infrastructure, and helicopter service.
Higher exposure to severe weather events and extreme heat may disrupt drilling activities and critical mine services, such as ventilation and power systems.
Transition Risks and Management Process
Our 2023 TCFD gap assessment identifies key transition risks, including higher energy and supply chain costs, financing constraints, and reputational challenges.
Our climate-related risk management process is integrated into our Company-wide enterprise risk management framework. General Managers and the Company’s senior leadership team conduct quarterly risk reviews, during which time updated risk registers that cover a variety of different areas of the business, are reviewed to ensure applied impact and likelihood levels remain correct and mitigation actions remain on track. Annually, we perform a comprehensive review and reassessment of each mine site’s physical climate risk register. Any risks that have changed are highlighted and presented to our senior leadership team and board of directors.
We measure and report on climate-related metrics at a mine site level including annual Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions and emissions intensity per ounce produced. Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions are reported annually in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and provincial regulations. Other metrics include water usage (consumed, stored, withdrawn, discharged), and water intensity (consumption per ounce produced), and energy consumption and energy intensity (GJ per tonne milled).
Site-specific GHG emissions models developed in 2022 allow us to forecast emissions over life of mine and measure the impact of energy efficiency efforts.
Emissions-limiting regulations cover both of our operations, and our GHG emissions are reported to regulatory agencies annually in accordance with applicable provincial regulations in both Ontario and Québec. Details of our performance are available in our latest ESG Report.
20,487†
Total Scope 1 and Scope 2 Emissions (t CO2e)
10,265†
Mining activities, including drilling, blasting, hauling, processing, and materials movement generate noise, which if not managed appropriately, can be impactful to the environment and be a nuisance to nearby communities.
At Wesdome, we recognize the importance of managing these impacts responsibly. We strive to understand and minimize impacts through proactive assessment, monitoring systems and mitigation measures tailored to each site’s unique conditions.
The following policies guide Wesdome’s approach to air quality, noise and vibration management:
Environmental Policy Sustainability Policy Health and Safety Policy
We manage air emissions and dust generated by mining activities to minimize impacts on the environment and local communities. Air quality performance is monitored in accordance with regulatory requirements, including annual reporting to Canada's National Pollutant Release Inventory. Dust control measures, such as road maintenance, water application, and regular inspections, are used to reduce emissions and support compliance.
Mining activities such as drilling, blasting, and ventilation can generate noise. We monitor and manage noise at both Eagle River and Kiena through site-specific controls and monitoring programs designed to minimize impacts on nearby communities, wildlife, and workers. Additional noise assessments are completed for major projects where required.
Blasting and heavy machinery can cause ground vibrations that disturb nearby communities and affect structures and ecosystems. These potential impacts have been proactively managed through community engagement, expert input, and the use of monitoring equipment to track blast pressure and noise levels. Blasting activities are planned to minimize disturbance, such as avoiding nighttime work and optimizing explosive use to reduce noise and vibration.
We have monitoring programs in place for fugitive dust and non-GHG air emissions. All site air emissions are reported annually to Canada’s National Pollutant Release Inventory in line with regulatory requirements. Details of our performance are available in our latest ESG Report.
ZERO†
Noise Exceedances
Our mining activities generate a range of waste beyond tailings and waste rock that includes hazardous wastes, such as chemicals, and non-hazardous wastes, such as metals, wood, plastics, and other materials. If not managed properly, waste can negatively impact the environment and human health. We aim to reduce waste by conserving materials, repurposing, and recycling residual materials wherever possible. When waste generation is unavoidable, we are committed to responsibly handling, storing and disposing of waste. Our waste management programs are guided by our Environmental Policy and Sustainability Policy.
We sort and securely store non-hazardous waste, such as cardboard, paper, wood, steel, and domestic waste, to prevent waste from entering the environment and attracting wildlife, until such time as it can be transported off-site to authorized facilities, either for disposal or recycling. We manage all non-hazardous waste handling through documented procedures and training for all employees and contractors, with regular inspections and audits to ensure compliance.
Given Kiena’s location adjacent to a water body, the site’s spill prevention plan includes non-hazardous waste and shoreline vegetation has been planted to help prevent waste from entering the lake. Site-wide clean-up days that involve all employees and contractors take place each year at both Eagle River and Kiena and assist in building a culture of shared environmental responsibility.
Spill management plans are in place at both our mine sites that outline how we respond to spill events. Plans include training, equipment inspections, prevention protocols, and reporting procedures. Annual audits and periodic drills help us maintain readiness and ensure environmental compliance, and workforce training is conducted regularly to ensure all employees and contractors at the mine site understand and are equipped to safely and effectively respond to spill events in a timely manner. Health and Safety and Environment teams at Eagle River and Kiena lead spill response with support from Mine Rescue teams when needed. Spill waste is either stored in tailings management areas or stored and transported offsite by accredited contractors. Environment teams are responsible for investigating and reporting all spill events. In many cases, incidents such as spills are also communicated to interested Indigenous groups. Incident investigation assists with identifying corrective actions, which are then assigned to individuals or teams and tracked to completion.
Cyanide is a commonly used component in gold mining as it is an effective way in which to separate the metal from its host rock. Cyanide is used in ore processing at both our mining operations, and to ensure the safety of our workforce and environment, we implement strict management practices around safe handling, containment and transportation. Annual training is provided to all workers who interact with cyanide at our operations, including teams involved in incident response.
Hazardous waste generated at our mine sites s includes oils, grease, chemicals, solvents, solutions, and batteries. Accredited third-party contractors are in place to handle collection and disposal in accordance with site-specific storage, handling and disposal procedures. Management plans and procedures outline the safe work practices required to mitigate the risks associated with hazardous materials handling and disposal, and we comply with all applicable regulatory requirements.
Wesdome tracks key indicators across hazardous and non-hazardous waste streams, including waste generated by type, volumes recycled or diverted, hazardous waste managed off-site, and spill frequency and severity. Spill performance is assessed based on incident frequency, response time, and corrective action closure. For more details on our waste generation and management practises, refer to our latest ESG Report.
56%†
Total Hazardous Waste Recycled
51%†
Our operations and exploration activities take place in areas that support diverse ecosystems and wildlife. We are committed to minimizing our impacts on biodiversity and managing land responsibly throughout the mining lifecycle, from exploration and operations to closure. We engage with Indigenous groups, local communities, and other stakeholders to understand biodiversity and land use priorities and incorporate this feedback into planning, conservation, and reclamation activities.
Our approach is guided by our Biodiversity & Conservation Management Standard, Environmental Policy, and Sustainability Policy, and is aligned with the Mining Association of Canada’s Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) Biodiversity Conservation Protocol.
Before work begins in previously undisturbed areas, we conduct environmental assessments to identify biodiversity risks and implement measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate impacts.
Both Eagle River and Kiena maintain environmental monitoring programs that assess potential effects on fish, aquatic habitats, and other environmental receptors. Site-specific management plans and procedures support biodiversity conservation and environmental stewardship, including alignment with the Mining Association of Canada’s Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) Biodiversity Conservation Protocol.
Eagle River and Kiena maintain regulatory-approved mine closure plans that outline reclamation activities and estimated closure costs. These plans are updated periodically and whenever significant operational changes occur.
We maintain financial assurance to cover closure obligations and conduct progressive reclamation throughout the mine life, including revegetation and the rehabilitation of disturbed areas where practical.
Additional information on our closure plans and financial assurance is available in Wesdome’s annual Management Discussion & Analysis.
We track key indicators to manage land use, biodiversity, and closure performance across our operations. These include land disturbance and reclamation, biodiversity monitoring (including species at risk and habitat impacts), and compliance with closure plans and regulatory requirements. Details of our performance are available in our latest ESG Report.
100%†
of mineral reserves in or near sites with protected conservation status or endangered species habitat