As commodities prices including precious metals were plummetting Thursday on more bad economic news, the Premier of British Columbia provided a glimmer of hope for the BC mining industry.
In unveiling the province’s job-creation strategy, Clark said the government plans to capitalize on high demand for minerals, especially in Asia, by opening up eight new mines in the next four years and expanding nine more by 2015:
“If government can get out of the way and ease the process as much as possible for mines to get going in BC, our goals can be reality, I have no question about it,” reported News1130.
The Province reported Clark saying the mining activity should generate annual revenues of $1.6 billion, create 8,000 mining jobs and sustain 5,000 existing jobs:
“I think we are poised on the cusp of something huge for British Columbia. The future of the world is in Asia, that’s the future, and there is only one province in Canada that faces Asia,” said Clark.
The premier did not reveal any details as to which mines would open nor the commodities.
The BC Jobs Plan was applauded by the Mining Association of BC for committing almost $24 million to natural resources ministries with a goal of reducing the time it takes to get decisions on approvals and permits — without compromising environmental standards.
“The mining industry is very encouraged to see government investing in its internal resources which allow private sector economic activity to occur,” said John McManus, Chair of the Mining Association of BC.
Image of BC Premier Christy Clark Flickr Creative Commons
8 Comments
Prosborugh
what are the names of the new mines
MINING.com Editors
The premier doesn’t give any details.
Doon757
8000 new jobs, that’s 1000 jobs/spinoffs for each new mine. There’s only a handful of mines in the entire country that support those kinds of numbers, none that I’m aware of in B.C. I’d say Ms. Clark’s estimate is rather ambitious, but I suppose that’s her job, isn’t it?
Mining Executive
The facts are 2 spinoff jobs to every full time mine job. This means that for every mine that employs 333 full time miners, there are 666 spin off jobs to suppliers, contractors, manufacturers, civil services to name a few. The facts are correct.
Mlwtbc
Yes , but in northern BC it’s all chinese that are coming to work in the mines, it’s not creating jobs for BC people, just like the gas industry, the workers are all from out of the province, don’t tell me about jobs, this is BC resorces, and should be BC people working .
Banjo Eyes
The mining industry has always had out of province, or country, workers, I have worked with BC miners in Sask., Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba, and the Arctic. Miners skills are in demand all over Canada and miners go where the work is. “Its a small world”, in mining.
James Bourquin
Under an Ontario NDP type economic scenario, a more sustainable North American mining framework might look to tariffs on dirty Asian copper production chains to add value to Canadian copper production for ethical North American markets. Christy Clark’s vision of eight new mines sounds more like what round log exports are to sustainable timber management. We we want Northern BC’s proven reserves of copper to last 30 years or 300 years? Christy Clark’s vision only looks to the next election.
Brianbobke
For more info on any new mining activity in B.C. go to the GovB.C Website.It will give pertenant info on all exploration and mining activities in the province.