Minister of Energy and Mines Rich Coleman announced B.C. experienced its second consecutive year of rising mineral exploration expenditures in 2011, as the mineral exploration and mining industry continued a dramatic upward trend.

The January 2012 petroleum and natural gas sale resulted in $32.1 million in bonus bids, bringing the fiscal year total to over $238 million.

The latest provincial safety statistics show the B.C. mining industry has not experienced a mine operations fatality since September 2009, the longest period of time without fatalities since 1898.

British Columbia is the first province in Canada to enforce the public disclosure of ingredients used for hydraulic fracturing.

Implementing Canada's most ambitious housing strategy and building strong partnerships at the community level has enabled the Province to help more than 95,000 people keep the cost of housing more affordable in British Columbia in 2011.

New regulations under the Strata Property Act that improve accountability in strata corporations have been introduced that will support the more than one million strata property owners and residents in the province.

John Yap, Clean Technology Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Mines has announced amendments to the renewable and low carbon fuel requirements regulation.

Raincity Housing, a non-profit society that has provided shelter and housing for thousands of people in the Lower Mainland for close to 30 years, has been selected to develop and operate a new supportive housing development in the Tri-Cities.

Progress continues on the BC Jobs Plan with the announcement of a Mines Act permit for the Barkerville Gold Mine, outside of Wells.