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By Caden Fanshaw

BCNRF

Industry pushes province to review permitting process for mines

Jan 19, 2023 | 4:35 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The second full day of the 20th Annual BC Natural Resources Forum had the tone set bright and early as six BC Ministers sat on the stage for a panel that included a lot of discussion about permits.

The Mining Association of BC said the top issue for their sector is permitting times, calling for urgent government action.

Josie Osborne, BC’s new Minister of Energy, Mining, and Low Carbon Innovation spoke at length Thursday morning about the challenge, citing her ministry had just brought on 13 more staff to improve the process.

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Part of the BC Government’s new one-stop shop for permitting set to be released soon is also expected to streamline things, industry leaders said the changes can’t come soon enough.

Steven Dean, Chairman and CEO at Artemis Gold said the Blackwater Gold Mine Project located southwest of Prince George has been in the permitting stage for nearly a decade.

Dean said he is hopeful shovels can dig into the ground in the first half of 2023 to begin construction with the potential to develop into one of the largest gold mines in Canada.

Seven near-term copper, gold and steelmaking coal mines or mine extension projects are approaching their final investment decisions within 12-18 months.

Together, they represent more than $4 billion in capital expenditures, 6,400 new construction and operating jobs, new Indigenous partnerships, and an economic impact topping $10 billion.

There are ten other medium-term critical mineral projects that will produce copper and copper-gold, along with the world’s largest unmined niobium deposit and two excellent nickel deposits.