About changes to B.C. mining laws…

By Bill Bennett

Kootenay East MLA

1. As a result of the Mt. Polley accident and the three independent reports and sets of recommendations flowing from the disaster, the Mining Act Code has been changed to strengthen practices on mine sites in B.C. This will ensure that such a disaster can never happen again in British Columbia.

2. Mines are now required to retain independent engineering oversight for tailings storage facilities (including dams) in addition to the company’s Engineer of Record. Engineers and mine managers are now obligated to report immediately to the Regulator any concerns they have with a tailings storage facility and the Code now contains more prescription for the industry on best practices.

3. The Ministry of Energy & Mines now has a new separate compliance and enforcement board. They are now accountable to the ministry plus the Ministry of Environment and the Environmental Assessment Office. B.C. now has the strongest regulatory oversight of mining in .

This message funded by Bill Bennett, who is also B.C.’s Minister of Energy and Mines.

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