BURST
It’s taken two years of fast talking about fast tracking of mining permitting in B.C. to get started.
On April 1, the B.C. government promised to approve exploration permits within 40 to 140 days, depending on project complexity. If the permit isn’t processed on time, it will be escalated to the chief permitting officer who must make a decision within 14 days.
It’s a part of Premier Eby’s response to economic uncertainty caused by U.S. President Donald Trump. Eby said: “It is time to build again and we don’t have a moment to waste. … We cannot allow slow permitting processes and bureaucratic processes to delay what we know has to happen.”
It’s a good start, says Todd Stone, the president of the Association for Mineral Exploration BC.
However, Stone says, “only 14.8 per cent of mining exploration claims were processed within 120 days over the past year.” According to the group, B.C.’s new mineral claim staking system has created a growing backlog. As of March 25, it says, 4,400 applications are pending.
Stone joined a Conversation That Matters about our ability to seize the moment in mining.
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