Josie Osborne, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low-Carbon Innovation, has released the following statement in celebration of Mineral Exploration Week 2023, from Jan. 22-28:

Two upcoming public information sessions will highlight local government-led efforts to explore how a modernized Columbia River Treaty could better support social and economic interests in the Canadian Columbia Basin.

Katrine Conroy, Minister Responsible for the Columbia River Treaty, has issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of State’s recent comments about the progress of negotiations toward a modernized treaty: 

The Province and four Treaty 8 First Nations – Fort Nelson, Saulteau, Halfway River and Doig River First Nations – have reached consensus on a collaborative approach to land and resource planning, and to advance regional solutions to benefit everyone living in northeastern B.C. and Treaty 8 territory.

Twelve First Nations communities throughout British Columbia will receive $7.1 million to develop alternative-energy projects and advance energy efficiency through the Province’s Community Energy Diesel Reduction (CEDR) program, a CleanBC initiative.

To preserve British Columbia’s supply of clean electricity to support the Province’s climate action and economic goals, BC Hydro will suspend electricity-connection requests from cryptocurrency mining operations for 18 months.

The Province is fulfilling a commitment identified as a key action in the CleanBC Roadmap to 2030 to increase the 2030 carbon-intensity reduction target for the diesel and gasoline fuel pools from 20% to 30% under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS).

Josie Osborne, Minister of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship; Murray Rankin, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation; and Bruce Ralston, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, have issued the following statement about the status of negotiations with Blueberry River First Nations: