Making the Case for BC Mining
MABC works with governments at every level to advance policies that keep BC’s mines productive, competitive, and responsibly run.
We make the case for policies that let BC’s mines do their job.
MABC represents the operators of BC’s major mines, smelters, and advanced development projects. Our role is to engage provincial and federal governments on the policies, regulations, and decisions that affect the industry’s ability to operate and grow.
That means pushing for faster, more predictable permitting. Supporting meaningful Indigenous economic participation. Ensuring BC’s world-class environmental and safety standards are recognized. And making sure decision-makers understand what’s at risk when good projects don’t get built.
Current Issue
Transboundary Mining
BC’s northern mines sit in watersheds that drain into Alaska — which means BC’s environmental record is also a matter of international relations. Independent water quality monitoring under the BC-Alaska Memorandum of Understanding consistently shows that downstream water meets Alaskan standards and supports healthy aquatic ecosystems in the Taku, Stikine, and Unuk river systems.
MABC members are committed to that record. We support ongoing engagement with Alaskan tribes, U.S. federal and state agencies, and local communities — because responsible mining in this region depends on trust built over time, not just permits on paper.
A Key Priority
Permitting
Permitting is the biggest obstacle facing BC’s mining sector. Getting a new mine approved in Canada currently takes up to 15 years — a timeline that delays jobs, deters investment, and puts BC at a disadvantage against competing jurisdictions.
Many of the projects in the queue contain minerals now classified as critical by Canada and allied governments: materials essential to clean energy technology, national defence, and supply chain security. MABC is working with both levels of government to speed up the process while keeping BC’s environmental standards intact.
A new mine can take up to 15 years to permit in Canada. That’s among the longest timelines of any mining jurisdiction in the world. The International Energy Agency projects that reaching global net-zero by 2050 will require six times the minerals currently produced — meaning the gap between what’s in the ground and what’s permitted needs to close quickly. BC has the deposits. The bottleneck is the clock.
MABC members expect the provincial government to function as a single entity — with decisions, referrals, and reviews coordinated across ministries. In practice, internal communication gaps between departments are a frequent cause of delays at BC mines, independent of the projects themselves. Fixing that doesn’t require new legislation. It requires the government to work the way the public already expects it to.
A mine is a decades-long investment. When timelines shift without warning, requirements change partway through a review, or a process extends into additional rounds with no defined endpoint, costs go up and investor confidence goes down. Predictable timelines and clear expectations are the foundation of BC’s reputation as a stable place to commit capital. That reputation is worth protecting.
New mines and major expansions typically require approvals from both provincial and federal governments. Where those processes overlap, they often duplicate effort instead of sharing it. MABC advocates for a coordinated approach — aligned federal and provincial reviews, reduced duplication, and clear accountability at each stage — while fully meeting both governments’ environmental and reconciliation obligations.
Our Campaigns
MABC runs focused campaigns when the stakes are highest — from making the case for faster permitting to ensuring BC’s critical minerals are part of the national conversation. Our campaigns are built on research, grounded in fact, and designed to move policy. See what we’re working on.
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