A message from the AME BC
The year 2015 was a critical time for the Association for Mineral Exploration British Columbia (AME BC) to champion the investment, exploration and mineral development potential of BC.
AME BC believes that it is possible to have both a strong mineral exploration and development industry, and a sustainable, healthy environment.
Globally, the mineral exploration and development industry has been experiencing a significant downturn, and BC, and the rest of Canada are not immune to this reality. Despite the challenges this presents, the industry (much of it based in BC), continues to make enormous contributions to the social and economic well-being of British Columbians and fellow Canadians.
Generally, BC has attracted a gradually larger share of Canadian mineral exploration investment over the past few years, and has held its own on a global scale. However, provincial and federal government policies and First Nation perspectives regarding natural resource development, and access to mineral lands, need to be better aligned to help ensure that BC continues to attract investment in mineral exploration and development.
Sustained investment in exploration is the only path to successfully discovering and developing new mineable deposits that are so vital to our quality of life in BC, and Canada, as a whole.
The mineral exploration and development industry is central to BC’s export-driven economy, spurring positive regional socio-economic activity, providing thousands of family sustaining jobs, producing the commodities that we need, use and consume every day and contributing hundreds of millions of dollars every year to support education and health care.
Such contributions should not be taken for granted. Despite the current downturn, policy-makers must take concrete steps now to position the industry for future success.
The first major event of 2015 for AME BC was our annual Mineral Exploration Roundup conference, and the Association was able to claim credit for Premier Christy Clark’s announcement to exempt exploration activities from permit fees, and the announcement of $6.3 million in increased funding for the province’s Mines and Minerals Division to support permitting and inspections.
The provincial mining flow-through share program was also extended through the end of 2015.
On a national scale, there was a commitment by the federal government in March to extend the eligibility of Canadian exploration expenses to include environmental studies and community consultation expenses; however, a timeline for the implementation of this measure is still uncertain as of December 2015.
As per AME BC’s Strategic Plan, aboriginal relations and engagement continues to be a top priority area for our membership.
AME BC hosted the third annual Gathering Place at the Mineral Exploration Roundup 2015 conference, and the Aboriginal Engagement Guidebook released in January 2014 was updated and reprinted in May 2015 by popular demand.
AME BC continues its work to strengthen relationships with aboriginal communities, leaders, and organizations. Specifically, AME BC has taken the lead and engaged in very positive and mutually respectful discussions with representatives from the BC First Nations Energy and Mining Council (BC FNEMC).
In fact, AME BC signed a memorandum of understanding with the BC FNEMC in July 2015. AME BC also maintains strong business relationships with the Industry Council for Aboriginal Business.
In September, AME BC signed a memorandum of understanding with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC (APEGBC), formally building ties between two century-old organizations with a commitment to increase the prestige and esteem of professional geoscience and engineering in the province.
AME BC also continued to sponsor the work of regional exploration groups throughout the province in building awareness of mineral exploration among the public. For the first time, it also sponsored prospector training in the First Nation community of Tsay Keh Dene to a very enthusiastic and receptive audience.
In November, following engagement with officials from both the State of Alaska and Government of BC, AME BC supported a memorandum of understanding signed between the two jurisdictions to enhance communication and access to information between jurisdictions without the need for federal intervention or an International Joint Commission.
In light of these successes, however, AME BC members faced continual challenges, both real and perceived, in accessing the land base to conduct mineral exploration and development.
Evolving land access and use decisions and restrictions along the central and north coast, and in the Northwest, south Chilcotin, areas southeast of Prince George, and the south Okanagan were a focus of committee and staff efforts through the year.
Although AME BC has had successes in communicating the value of minerals as a hidden resource with government officials and communities, the provincial government lacks a coordinated approach to planning, communicating and implementing decisions affecting the mineral land base.
In 2016, AME BC will continue championing the need for access to the land with the provincial government to provide certainty for its members.
David McLelland is Chair of the Board of Directors, AME BC and Gavin C. Dirom is President & Chief Executive Officer, AME BC
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