Three months after reopening the Brule Mine, Conuma Coal Resources Ltd. (Conuma Coal) has started hiring ahead of its planned Jan. 2, 2017, restart of the Wolverine Mine near Tumbler Ridge.

British Columbia’s mineral and coal production is a major pillar of the province’s economy and the raw materials mined right here in B.C. — like coal, copper, gold, lead and zinc — are needed to produce many of the consumer products British Columbians rely on in their daily lives.

The Province is providing $342,000 from the Innovative Clean Energy (ICE) Fund for four clean-energy science and technology research projects at British Columbia public post-secondary institutions, supporting energy efficiency and conservation.

The provincial government is providing more than $550,000 to support energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, including solar power, biomass heating and energy retrofits to local facilities in eight communities.

Premier Christy Clark welcomed the news that the Woodfibre LNG project has received board authorization to proceed with the $1.6-billion project that will create 650 jobs during construction and 100 operational jobs over the 25-year lifespan of the project.

British Columbians are invited to comment on Mount Polley Mining Corporation’s (MPMC) plans for long-term water management of the site.

Officials with the governments of British Columbia and Alaska signed an agreement establishing a bilateral working group that will build on and enhance water quality monitoring, environmental assessments and permitting relating to trans-boundary mines and development in both jurisdictions.

Conuma Coal Resources Ltd., the new owners of the Brule coal mine in British Columbia’s Peace Region, are restarting the mine immediately.