GOLDBORO — Nova Scotia’s Department of Environment and Climate Change has granted an industrial approval (IA) to NexGold Mining Corp., clearing the final major provincial hurdle for the proposed Goldboro gold mine and drawing renewed optimism from both the company and the Municipality of the District of Guysborough (MODG).
“This is a great day for Nova Scotians and the Goldboro Gold Project,” said NexGold CEO Kevin Bullock. “We saw it happen, and the IA in our hand is proof of it happening... Nova Scotia is open for business, and this is proving it.”
The IA – issued Aug. 27 after seven years of consultation – regulates daily operations and sets environmental conditions. It is the final provincial permit required before construction, which the company expects could begin in 2026.
But Bullock emphasized the approval does not mean the project is fully greenlit. NexGold must still obtain federal Fisheries Act authorization (FAA) before making a final investment decision, a process he said could take 60 to 90 days following a scheduled 90-day consultation period.
“We’ve got all our major provincial permits,” Bullock told The Journal. “We are shovel ready once we get the FAA... Then it’s financing and feasibility studies. It’s not only permits that are needed to build a mine.”
MODG Warden Paul Long welcomed the milestone but echoed that caution.
“Council is pleased to see NexGold reach this milestone, while recognizing there are still steps ahead – particularly meeting the environmental conditions in the project’s permits,” he said in a statement. “This announcement has sparked strong community interest, highlighting the need for infrastructure to support growth, all positive signs for the municipality as we prepare for the opportunities a development like this can bring to a small rural community.”
According to a provincial press release, the mine – expected to operate for 11 of its 15-year project timeline – could generate $2.1 billion in GDP for Nova Scotia and create 735 jobs. Bullock confirmed that these include roughly 300 construction positions and 200 during operations within the municipality, with spinoffs in the local and provincial supply chains.
“A lot of [the jobs] will be within the municipality,” he said. “Others will be within the province.”
Long added that while “there are many socio-economic benefits to a mining development, employment for local residents is top of the list. Good-paying jobs that will be sustainable for more than a decade are welcome and ... will go a long way in increasing our municipality’s population and [helping] elevate our community’s sustainability in a very positive way.”
The province has also leased 779 hectares of Crown land to NexGold, which, along with adjacent company-owned land, forms the full project footprint. The lease covers not only the deposit but also key infrastructure areas, including those needed for processing, waste rock storage and tailings management. NexGold previously received provincial environmental assessment approval in 2022 and finalized its Crown land lease in May.
The company has signed community benefits agreements with both MODG and the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs. Though terms remain confidential, Bullock confirmed the arrangement includes financial incentives for workers to build homes locally. “We will be incentivizing employees to build within the community,” he said. “It’s financially incentivizing, yes, as part of the agreement.”
Long noted the agreement provides about $15,000 annually in community grants – set to increase if the project proceeds. “Additional benefits include preferential hiring for MODG residents, student scholarships, housing incentives for employees that decide to live in MODG, and municipal tax revenues,” he said.
Bullock credited the province’s permitting reforms – particularly the recent creation of a dedicated industrial approvals team – for helping move the project forward.
“The LIFT, which is a large infrastructure file team that the government created, really helped with this. It’s an example of what can be done when you put your mind to it and you’re aligned in doing things properly. There was just more focus and driving [towards] a stringent, environmentally friendly mine.”
He said the outlook for gold remains strong, boosting investor confidence.
“We’re near, or at, a record high for the gold price,” Bullock said. “It’s the best time to do this... Goldboro is a great area to build a mine... It’s just all lining up.”
