Cory Chisholm has been trying to build a mining career in Nova Scotia for years but when opportunities at home seemed harder to find, he went as far north as one can to find mining work. The 33-year-old spent four years working at one of the most northern and remote underground gold mines in Nunavut. He says while the industry experience was valuable, it wasn’t always easy flying in and out of Halifax for work. Chisholm was often far away from his wife Rilea and their newborn daughter for weeks at a time. “It’s always my goal to live in Nova Scotia and to work in Nova Scotia,” said Chisholm. “But it was a also great experience to work away.” Chisholm started his mining career at the Touqouy gold mine in Mooser River, N.S., in 2017. Historically, the mining industry has always played an important role in the provincial economy, whether that be from mining coal, to gypsum, and aggregate, to other strategic minerals like gold. But in 2021 Chisholm left Nova Scotia as the future of the operation at the Touquoy gold mine remained uncertain, while the industry boomed in other parts of Canada The company, St. Babara Ltd., which manages operations at the Touqouy site, were struggling through the environmental approvals process with the province and unable to get approvals to expand its mining work, which eventually led to the decision to cease processing work in 2023. While future work prospects may have looked bleak back home, Chisholm said he kept a close eye on things in the province. Following the 2024 provincial election, premier Tim Houston released a plan to revive mining opportunities and grow the economy through developing critical minerals. “I was constantly looking at this company, this operation, and the mining industry as a whole in Nova Scotia,” said Chisholm. “I could see it, elsewhere and in places like up north and in Ontario where mining is taking off,” Chisholm added. “Where it was not necessarily the case in Nova Scotia.” But that’s changing, as St. Barbara is ramping up work at the Touquoy site and plan to resume processing gold in November. But no new mining or extraction work will happen. All that digging has been done already said Dustin O’Leary, the manager of business development with St Barbara’s Atlantic operations. There’s currently three million tonnes of stockpiled ore sitting at the site since, that was already dug up before the 2023 shutdown. In April, the company received industrial approval from the government to process that remaining stockpile and as the continue to complete the reclamation work at the site. “I think to the province’s credit, they’ve also refocused their energy around, how do they make mining and mining projects in the province work, from both an environmental, safety perspective,” said O’Leary. Before the 2023 shutdown, O’Leary said the company had to layoff around 300 employees, with around 40 remaining on staff to continue the management of the site. Now the company is building up its workforce once again as they expect the work to process the remaining gold to take around two years to complete. The company expects to employ anywhere from 150 to 200 people, both on their team and with outside contractors while the processing work continues. O’Leary estimates there’s $200 million worth of gold remaining to be processes, which will eventually be sold to the Canadian Mint, and says the operation will help kick $150 million towards province’s overall GDP. He says they are proud to bring employees like Chisholm back home for work, hiring him as their health and safety superintendent. “We’re not short in the province on talent, but we have been exporting that for a long time,” said O’Leary. “And to be able to keep that talent home and working here is vitally important.” Chisholm said the opportunity gives him confidence to see a future in the Nova Scotia mining sector. “It gives some promise,” said Chisholm. “You’re not necessarily looking forward, to what am I going to do in a couple of years? Am I going to have to move or go back to rotational work?” For now, Chisholm is back to where his mining career began and at home with his family each night. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
