The B.C. government announced today (July 16) it is updating the Area-Based Management Plan for the Elk Valley to further improve how B.C. manages the effects of mining on water quality.

An Elk Valley Area-Based Management Plan, called the Elk Valley Water Quality Plan, has been in place for the region since 2014 and will now soon better protect the environment and align more closely with new information and advances in science. It will respond to concerns over mining-related discharges in the Elk Valley, a Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy media release said.

“We know the Elk Valley is important to many communities, creatures and careers, and concerns about water quality are long-standing,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. “A strong management plan is essential to protect our environment, fish and people who live in the region. It’s important that we undertake this collaborative process to update the plan.”

The first amendment to the plan will provide a clear framework for decision-making about mining in the Elk Valley. The changes will clarify how the plan works alongside permits, how the province will respond to new information, how the Area-Based Management Plan and water-quality targets apply to all operations discharging into the Elk Valley.

These updates will be developed through a 12-month process involving consultation with partners, interested parties and industry, including Teck’s steelmaking coal business, now being operated under Elk Valley Resources, which Glencore acquired in July 2024, the ministry explained.

The second amendment will review new scientific information to update the selenium water-quality target for the Canadian portion of Koocanusa Reservoir. These changes will be outlined over a 12-month preparation period and then developed over 15 months that will also involve consultation.

The province will be collaborating and seeking consensus with Ktunaxa First Nations in the planning process for these amendments. B.C. has been working closely with the Ktunaxa First Nations to commence the project and is committed to advancing reconciliation through important initiatives such as this.

“Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it First Nation is very pleased to be partnering with B.C. on the Area-Based Management Plan for ʔakanuxunik’ ʔamakʔis. Improving the water quality in our territory is our highest priority as a First Nation and we look forward to working together with B.C. and the other Ktunaxa First Nation governments on this important stewardship initiative,” said Chief Nasuʔkin Heidi Gravelle, Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi ‘it First Nation.

Jason Andrew, councillor, ʔaq̓am (a Ktunaxa First Nation, part of Ktunaxa Nation Council) added: “The Ktunaxa were involved in the development of the original Area-Based Management Plan. In the decade since, we’ve observed several deficiencies and ongoing or increasing impacts on the water and ʔa·kxam̓is q̓api qapsin (all living things) within the Fording, Elk and Kootenay watersheds. B.C. has now committed to amend the plan, and we are optimistic that updates can enhance efforts to protect these vital resources.”

Local government officials are eager to get started on a new plan.

“The Elk River and Elk Valley watershed are extremely important to the health and well-being of our community and all the life and activity they support,” said City of Fernie Mayor Nic Milligan. “Our community supports a comprehensive management plan based on current science and Indigenous knowledge. A healthy river system and access to clean, safe water is crucial to the future of the Elk Valley and the many people who live here and visit the region. We look forward to a comprehensive plan that supports responsible and accountable operations, recognizing the significance of the Elk Valley and its water.”

District of Sparwood Mayor David Wilks said, “The District of Sparwood looks forward to working with the Province, Elk Valley Resources and all other stakeholders to ensure the viability of our environment and the coal industry. Working together we can accomplish great things.”

Elk Valley Resources CEO Mike Carrucan noted the company “has made significant progress in advancing the Elk Valley Water Quality Plan. We look forward to building on our existing work to support continued sustainable mining in the Elk Valley region by collaborating with the government, Indigenous communities, and stakeholders.”

Randal Macnair, conservation co-ordinator of Wildsight Elk Valley stated, “Wildsight is encouraged by the promise to develop a new management plan that will safeguard the ecological and cultural values of the Elk River. The recent change in ownership of the Elk Valley coal mines underscores the importance of having a strong Ktunaxa-led plan to protect the health of our rivers, with active and continuous government oversight.”

Lead image: The Elk River merges with the Kootenay River/Lake Koocanusa.  e-KNOW file photos

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