Quarry materials are regulated under the Quarry Materials Act, 1998 and Quarry Materials Regulations. The Department is responsible for managing quarry materials on both Crown land and privately owned land and for ensuring quarry operations are conducted in a safe, responsible, and environmentally sustainable manner.

What We Do:

• Review and approve applications for quarry permits, leases and proposals for quarry materials exploration work
• Conduct inspections of quarry operations
• Monitor compliance with legislation and approval conditions
• Take enforcement action when necessary
• Administers fees and collects royalties
• Ensures quarries are rehabilitated following extraction activities
• Develops policies and guidelines for the management of quarry resources in Newfoundland and Labrador
• Review land use proposals and policy changes that may affect access to quarry resources.

Approval to extract material from an area requires a Quarry Permit or a Quarry Lease.

Not sure which authorization you need? A quarry permit is intended for shorter-term operations, while a quarry lease is intended for long-term quarry development and allows for the transfer of quarry rights.

Applications for quarry permits, leases, and subordinate quarry permits must be submitted through the Quarry Management and Administration Portal.

Who Can Apply?

• Permits and leases may be issued to individuals, companies, organizations, and government entities.
• Companies must be registered an in good standing with the Registry of Companies. You can check the status of your company registration using the Companies and Deeds Online service.
• To apply, you must have a Quarry Management and Administration (QMAP) account.

Quarries on Private Land

• A quarry permit or lease is required whether the quarry is located on Crown land or privately owned land.
• If the quarry is located on private land, you must
  • own the property, or
  • have written permission from the property owner
• If access to the quarry requires crossing another person’s private property, written permission from that landowner is also required.

Create a New Application

To apply for a quarry permit or lease:

Required Documents

Cost of Applying for a Quarry Permit or Lease

• The application fee is $100. This fee is not refundable.
• Upon approval of your application, you will be prompted to pay a rental fee.
  • The rental fee is $120 per hectare of area included in your quarry boundary and must be paid annually.
  • Rental is due both on Crown and privately owned land.

Step 1: Application Review

The Department reviews the proposed quarry boundary and access route to confirm:

• required setbacks from waterbodies and wetlands
• required setbacks from roads and infrastructure (e.g., transmission lines)
• no overlap with existing quarry permits or leases

Applicants may be asked to revise their proposed boundary during this step.

Step 2: Referral Process

• Applications are sent to government departments, agencies, and other stakeholders that may be affected by the proposed quarry.
• These organizations are given 21 days to review the application and provide comments.
• If more time is needed, the Department works with the organization to establish a reasonable timeline for a response.
• After comments are received, you may be asked to make changes to your application, Site Plan, or proposed quarry boundary.
• You may also be advised that additional information, permits, approvals, or review processes are required before your application can proceed.
• If significant issues are identified that cannot be addressed through revisions or conditions, the application may be refused.

Step 3: Final Review

• Once all comments have been received and any issues have been addressed, the Department confirms that any required permits, approvals, and authorizations have been obtained.

What Happens Next?

• Staff prepare the quarry permit or lease, including any terms and conditions that apply to the proposed quarry site.
• When the permit or lease is ready, you will be notified through the Quarry Management and Administration Portal and asked to pay the required rental fee.
• Once the rental fee has been paid, the finalized permit or lease will be issued and sent to you by email.Please note: Additional information or documentation may still be required before a permit or lease can be issued.

All quarry applications for sites located in Labrador are referred to the Office of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation for guidance on Indigenous consultation requirements. Depending on the location of the proposed quarry, consultation with Indigenous governments or organizations may be required.

• Quarry applications in Labrador Inuit Settlement Area (“LISA”) are reviewed by both the Province and Nunatsiavut Government. Approval from both governments is required before a permit or lease can be issued.
• Quarry development in Labrador Inuit Lands (LIL) is regulated by Nunatsiavut Government. Applications for quarries on LIL must be submitted to the Nunatsiavut Government for review and approval.

Important: Indigenous consultation and review requirements may affect application timelines. Applicants are encouraged to consider these requirements early in the planning process.

A quarry permit or lease does not replace other approvals that may be required. Depending on the location of the quarry, you may also need:

• • Crown Land authorizations (e.g., for the quarry access road)
  • Municipal development permits
  • Development Permit to operate within a Protected Road Zone
  • Environmental Assessment Registration
  • Forestry Permits (e.g., commercial harvesting and operating permits)

Many other land use restrictions, such as municipal zoning restrictions, protected road zones, protected areas, forestry activities, etc. can be identified using the Land Use Atlas.