FPX Nickel invites public input on Baptiste EA

FPX Nickel (TSXV: FPX; US-OTCQX: FPOCF) has announced the start of a public comment period for its Baptiste nickel project's federal and provincial environmental assessment (EA) process. This follows the acceptance of the initial project description by both federal and provincial governments in January 2026. This marks the first of four public comment periods within the EA process. The British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office (BC EAO) and the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) are jointly conducting the comment period, which extends through March 9, 2026.

"Collaboration is one of FPX's core values and in the years leading up to entering the EA process, we have been engaging the public and First Nations communities to better understand their interests and perspectives in the Baptiste project area. This work has informed the initial project description that was submitted to regulators, for which public feedback is now being sought. This initial public comment period is an extension our engagement, and we look forward to hearing more valuable feedback as the process advances," Martin Turenne, FPX's president and CEO, stated.

"We are at the start of a comprehensive, transparent and rigorous Environmental Assessment process that provides us with further opportunity to work together to design an even better project. Each step in the regulatory process informs the next, and hearing community interests supports the process and how the project will be designed and operated," Nigel Fisher, FPX's vice president of environment, added.

The agency reminded the public that they can find more information about the Baptiste nickel project, the initial project description, and details on how to participate in this public comment period, which concludes at 11:59 p.m. PST on March 9, 2026, by visiting the BC Environmental Assessment Office website at https://engage.eao.gov.bc.ca/BaptisteNickel-EE or the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada's website at https://iaac-aeic.gc.ca/050/evaluations/proj/90051.

Both the BC EAO and the IAAC will also host public in-person and virtual open houses and information sessions. An in-person open house will occur at the Fort St. James Community Hall (190 Stuart Dr E, Fort St. James, B.C.) on February 18, 2026, from 2:30 PM to 6:00 PM PT. Additionally, an online virtual information session is scheduled for February 24, 2026, from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM PT.

The Baptiste mineral claims cover an area of 453 sq. km west of Middle River and north of Trembleur Lake, in central British Columbia. Awaruite mineralization has also been confirmed through drilling at several target areas within the same claims package, including the Van Target, located 6 kilometers north of the Baptiste Deposit. Since 2010, approximately US$55 million has been spent on the exploration and development of Baptiste.

In 2024, the Province of British Columbia identified the Baptiste nickel project as the first project for inclusion in the Province's new Critical Minerals Office (CMO) concierge service initiative. This provincial strategy aims to prioritize critical minerals projects in B.C., providing a structure to proactively identify and address issues and opportunities before the Project's entry into the environmental assessment process.

For more information, please view the company's website at www.FpxNickel.com