The ministers of Environment and Parks, Tamara Davidson, and Mining and Critical Minerals (MCM), Jagrup Brar, have issued a consent order to Mount Polley Mining Corporation for a material alteration to the Mount Polley Mine to expand its Springer Pit.

The ministers’ decision was informed by a comprehensive review over the past year conducted by the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO), in consultation with MCM’s Major Mines Office and the Ministry of Environment and Parks. Decisions are pending on permit amendments under the Mines Act and Environmental Management Act, which are also required for the expansion to proceed.

If all authorizations are received, the expansion would extend the mine’s operations to 2033. The proposed expansion project includes deepening the existing Springer Pit, expanding the rock disposal area and placing potentially acid-generating rock into the old Cariboo Pit for secure isolation at the completion of operations. It also includes continued discharge of treated water into Quesnel Lake, as previously authorized by the Ministry of Environment. The expansion will remain within the mine’s existing approved area, with no expansion of land disturbance beyond the existing mine site footprint.

In their reasons for decision, the ministers agreed with the EAO’s conclusions that the proposed changes are not likely to result in significant effects compared to currently approved operations since the expansion is within the existing footprint of the mine. They noted that impacts would be effectively managed through mitigation measures required by permitting, which must meet or exceed all regulatory requirements in the current mines code and legislation. Ministers are satisfied that environmental and safety issues have been thoroughly assessed.

The EAO, in co-ordination with permitting ministries, consulted Williams Lake First Nation and Xatśūll First Nation as part of its assessment of the proposed expansion.

After a significant tailings pond dam breach into Polley Lake, Hazeltine Creek and Quesnel Lake in 2014, the Province released a substantially updated Health, Safety and Reclamation Code for Mines in B.C. to strengthen mine regulation, with further updates in 2024. The expansion project must meet all of these technical, engineering and safety requirements.

The Mount Polley mine was originally approved by the provincial government in 1992, with permits issued in 1995. The project’s environmental assessment certificate, which remains in effect under the Environmental Assessment Act, requires the operator to obtain the written consent of both ministers prior to any material alterations to the mine from what was previously approved.

EAO compliance and enforcement officers continue to monitor the Mount Polley Mine project to ensure all requirements of its environmental assessment certificate are met.

Key Facts:

• The Mount Polley Mine is an open-pit copper and gold mine located in the Cariboo region of central British Columbia, approximately 56 kilometres northeast of Williams Lake. The mine began operations in 1997.
• Following the catastrophic 2014 tailings dam breach, two separate investigations were conducted by an independent expert engineering panel and the chief inspector of mines in 2015. The Province implemented all recommendations, including substantially strengthening regulation of tailings ponds under the Health, Safety and Reclamation Code for Mines in B.C. updated in 2016.
• Mount Polley operations resumed in 2016 after the tailings pond breach under a revised Mines Act permit, subject to the new requirements of the mining code.
• In April 2025, the ministers of Environment and Parks and Mining and Critical Minerals approved an increase to the height of the tailings dam by four metres, which meets or exceeds all regulatory requirements in the current code. The proponent had requested the height increase be approved before the full Springer Pit expansion review was complete to ensure extra capacity was available on an interim basis if needed during the spring runoff.

Learn More:

For ministers’ reasons for their decision, visit:
https://projects.eao.gov.bc.ca/api/public/document/68b0ad39fbbc190022bd234c/download/SpringerExpansion_ReasonsForDecision_Signed.pdf

EAO’s recommendation regarding consent for material alteration:
https://projects.eao.gov.bc.ca/api/public/document/68b0ac98fbbc190022bd2312/download/Report_MaterialAlteration_SpringerExpansion.pdf