Problems of sand replacement, installation Canada's National Observer: Climate News

When Sio Silica announced plans to become a public company in November — just weeks after Manitoba elected a new government — out-of-province sand producers expressed confidence they were on the verge of renewal.

Such a belief comes as a surprise to some residents of small farming communities a stone's throw from Winnipeg, where Sio Silica has announced plans to drill thousands of holes through two aquifers over the next two decades because it will be “greenest.” sand mine in the world”.

As these communities know, Manitoba's Department of Environment is still debating the company's hotly contested application for an environmental license, and a decision is not forthcoming.

As Sio Silica prepares to go public and more details of their political and financial website come to light, we've broken down those ties – and what they could mean for the licensing process.

To read more about this story, first reported by the Winnipeg Free Press, click here.

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