Categories: General Market Commentary
Topics: General Market Commentary

British Columbia expands mining divisions to streamline regulatory functions

The British Columbia Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources Ministry is putting additional resources into its two miningdivisions to improve safety for workers, while encouraging investment and job creation with a more efficient approval process.

Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources Minister Michelle Mungall announced this week that the Mines Health, Safetyand Enforcement division would include a greater number of mines inspectors and a new auditing function to increase industry safety. The division’s priorities would be focused on health, safety, compliance management and enforcement activities. A new compliance auditing and effectiveness monitoring team within the division would function as an independent oversight unit.

The Mines Competitiveness and Authorizations division would promote increased investment in British Columbia's mining sector through an improved and properly resourced approvals process. This should help position the province as an attractive jurisdiction for investment.

“We are putting additional resources in place to enable more frequent inspections and upping enforcement to keep mines safe, for workers and for our environment,” said Mungall. “At the same time, we have a more efficient and predictable permit approval process, to encourage investment and get new projects built without unnecessary delays.”

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