Consensus on developing resources for national prosperity a ‘watershed moment,’ says Eby

Written By Rob Shaw
Published

“People’s livelihoods are on the line here and the margin for error here is very thin.”

–Keerit Jutla


B.C.’s mining and mineral exploration sectors suddenly find themselves priority political players, as Premier David Eby seeks to use the industries to balance his budgets and push back against the mercurial new U.S. president.

But not everyone is convinced the government can or will follow through with the difficult choices needed to meet its mining promises.

“The success of our natural resource sector, the mining sector, and your success as prospectors is key to the success of our province as a whole,” Eby told the Association for Mineral Exploration (AME) Roundup conference in Vancouver on Jan. 23.

“I believe we’re at a watershed moment as a country, and certainly a key moment in the province, where there is a consensus about the need to accelerate to ensure we’re developing these resources so we ensure prosperity for a country as a whole.”

“There is a consensus about the need to accelerate to ensure we’re developing these resources.”

David Eby

The Eby government has two goals for mining: Grow the sector through 17 new critical mineral projects to generate an estimated $11 billion in tax revenues for the provincial treasury during a time of deep deficits, and protect B.C.’s wealth of rare critical minerals coveted by the United States during a trade war sparked by president Donald Trump.

Achieving both will be difficult. But the sector finds itself under a political spotlight it hasn’t seen in decades.

“We have a unique opportunity to deliver a critical minerals windfall in British Columbia… and secure economic benefits for decades,” said Michael Goehring, president of the Mining Association of BC.

“Mines are little economic engines that support the economy, support jobs, support people and support prosperity. Those 17 critical mineral projects will require $36 billion in investment in order to be constructed, provide $23 billion in labour income for workers. That’s an astounding amount of money.”

Mines minister must speed permit process

To accomplish the task, Eby created a new standalone Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals in November. He tasked Minister Jagrup Brar in a Jan. 16 mandate letter to “establish fixed timelines for mining approval permits across British Columbia” and “ensure B.C. mining permit approval times are competitive with high-standard international jurisdictions and are dramatically reduced from current permit wait times.”

It can take new mines more than 10 years to get through the complex permitting and environmental assessment requirements.

“We should be able to get major mine permitting completed, environmental assessment, mines act permits and environmental management act permits, completed in five to seven years,” said Goehring. “If you were going to pick a time that would be an appropriate time frame.”

“We should be able to get major mine permitting completed… in five to seven years.”

Michael Goehring

But before you can build a mine, you have to prospect, explore and stake a mineral claim — a process that once formed the backbone of the foundation of British Columbia during the gold rush, but has been cast into doubt after a 2023 court case won by First Nations that argued they were failing to be consulted for consent before prospecting claims.

The B.C. government’s new prospecting framework, rushed into place for an end-of-march court deadline, changes the rules to require consultation with First Nations before any early prospecting claim. 

But neither the industry nor Indigenous leaders are happy with the move. Prospectors warn it will lead to delays that make exploration economically infeasible and nations say the sheer volume of consultation in a hit-and-miss exploration sector won’t be practical for them either.

‘Intent is not always realized’

Eby was quizzed about the subject by AME president Keerit Jutla on stage at the roundup conference, and was surprisingly candid in acknowledging the concerns.

“It’s not your responsibility to consult and accommodate First Nations, that’s a government responsibility,” he said. “The goal here is around the framework, to minimize impacts to you.”

“That’s our intent,” Eby added. “And I’ve been in government long enough to know the intent is not always realized.”

Jutla told Eby about “fear and anger for people who work on the land” about how the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples has led to uncertainty on the land base — a common complaint in land use, forestry, mining and other sectors in recent years.

The Premier said the B.C. government didn’t pass DRIPA legislation in 2019 to tie up entire communities into consultation that harms the economy, and cited the example of stalled logging near Prince George with the Carrier Sekani First Nation as a frustration that has harmed the reconciliation process.

“That was certainly not anything anyone in the legislature was voting for on that day,” he said of DRIPA.

“One of the mistakes we made in talking about reconciliation was failing to also emphasize the importance… of growing the economy, the importance of generating wealth, our core understanding that if you’re not able to do business, if you’re not able to generate money for our province with the work you do every day, then we are not as a government able to deliver services people reasonably expect,” said Eby.

“It’s a challenge NDP governments face, let’s be honest with ourselves in this room. And if anything, NDP governments have to say it twice as much that we understand and prioritize this. And I want to tell you that is a core priority for every minister, for every mandate letter, it is a focus – we need to grow our economy, we need to expedite permits, we need to get metals and minerals out of the ground.”

Exploration regulations confusing, unclear

For Jutla, the AME president who conducted a Q&A with Eby on stage, the government’s aspirations are positive, but the details, including the mineral exploration regulations, are lacking.

Prospectors aren’t sure what constitutes legal consultation, what to do in areas with overlapping First Nations territories, and whether the new process will force them to disclose publicly all the proprietary and confidential work that went into finding the mineral claim, he said.

“I think he does understand the implications and urgency of this item,” Jutla said in an interview.

“I think that one of the key things we really made sure we educated people on this past year, from policy makers, to government officials and the public, is that mineral exploration is the essential first step in order to actually identify where you can get to mine.

“I think he and minister Brar are understanding that yes this is not insignificant, people’s livelihoods are on the line here and the margin for error here is very thin.”

Jutla said the government’s aspirations are positive.

“We’re happy to see that. But with investment in B.C mineral exploration already dropping, we are going to have to pull together to ensure fast action is done to ensure a stable environment for mineral exploration to attract investment.”