The Province has established an immediate Environment and Land Use Act order prohibiting jade mining activities on new tenures in northwestern B.C.

Current tenure holders listed in the order will be able to continue jade mining for five years with enhanced reclamation requirements.  

The Environment and Land Use Act order is limited to jade mining activities in northwestern B.C. The order does not impact other mining operations in the region, nor does it affect existing or new jade tenures in other areas of B.C.

The cumulative impact of jade mining in northwestern B.C. is causing harmful effects to sensitive alpine environments and creating significant regulatory challenges for permitting, compliance and enforcement due to many of the activities taking place in locations accessible only by helicopter. The order will ensure that environmental impacts can be addressed, while existing tenure holders listed in the order continue mining for five years with adequate time to wind down operations.

Since 2020, the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation has undertaken analysis and studies. The ministry has been working closely with local First Nations, with input from industry, to address concerns regarding the environmental impacts to sensitive alpine environments from jade mining in the Turnagain region of northwestern B.C. The order is needed to protect these areas from further harm and disturbance.

British Columbia has a well-regulated, safe mineral exploration and mining industry in partnership with First Nations. The Province’s long-standing policy commitments and regulatory frameworks ensure that companies operating in B.C. are held to high environmental standards. Together with industry, the Province is working to attract quality investment to B.C.’s mining sector.

In addition to improving B.C.’s environmental performance, the Province is exploring ways to promote and leverage B.C.’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) strengths through the ESG Centre of Excellence and the Energy and Mines Digital Trust, which empowers companies to securely and efficiently share critical data on their sustainability performance and prove where their products originated and how they were produced.

Learn More:

For more information about the Energy and Mines Digital Trust, visit: https://digital.gov.bc.ca/2023/07/26/energy-mines-digital-trust-pilot/

For more information about the B.C. ESG Centre of Excellence, visit: https://www.esgbc.ca/