Michael Goehring, MABC President and CEO
BRITISH COLUMBIA – Mining projects proposed in B.C. have tremendous potential to contribute significantly to the provincial economy, but they must be allowed to move forward with government support.
There are 24 projects in northern B.C. that represent $69 billion in economic activity.
“Mining is one of the biggest employment and economic opportunities British Columbians will see in a lifetime,” says Michael Goehring, President and CEO of the Mining Association of B.C. (MABC) “Nowhere is this more evident than in Northern BC, where mining holds the key to thousands of well-paying jobs, community stability, and long-term economic security.”
The Northern BC Mining Economic Impact Study, produced by MABC, examines 24 Northern BC mining projects in advanced stages of development and concludes the near-term economic impact of their construction represents over $40 billion in investment, more than $21 billion in pay cheques, and government revenues exceeding $11 billion.
Over several decades, the ongoing operation of the 24 mines would deliver an estimated $661 billion in economic activity.
“To fully realize the nation building opportunity these projects offer, it is essential to accelerate permitting processes, enabling final investment decisions to be made and construction to begin,” Goehring adds.
The study, which looks at mines under development in the Northwest, North Central and Northeast regions of BC, includes projects such as: Artemis Gold’s Blackwater (EP2) expansion, Centerra Gold’s Kemess Mine, Thesis Gold’s Lawyers-Ranch, and Telkwa Mining’s Tenas project.
“The Province has made progress in moving mining projects forward. Now is the time to build on that momentum by making mining a priority and doubling down to get more mines built and British Columbians working in every region of our province,” Goehring points out.
The provincial and federal governments have recognized the strong economic and nation building potential of BC mining. Recent initiatives undertaken in Northern BC to support mining include the Province’s Northwest Strategy, legislation to expedite the construction of the North Coast Transmission Line, the acquisition of Stewart Bulk Terminals by the Tahltan and Nisga’a Nations and Arrow Transportation Systems, and joint federal and provincial investment of $195 million in infrastructure upgrades and improvements to Northwest BC highways.
MABC engaged Mansfield Consulting Inc. to assess the potential economic impact of 16 proposed critical mineral, five precious metal, and three steelmaking coal mine projects in BC. Data for the study were collected from interviews, technical reports, economic assessments, and feasibility studies published by the proponents and available on the SEDAR website.
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