Five years after the catastrophic Mount Polley mine disaster, A B.C. First Nations group is calling on the provincial government to close a loophole that could leave taxpayers on the hook for future mining cleanups.
A report form the BC First Nations Energy and Mining Council says the current framework allows mining firms to operate without providing financial assurance to cover the costs of a similar disaster.
Financial assurance makes sure that money is available to pay for clean-up even if a company goes bankrupt.
Report author Jason Dion says the changes to legislation would bring miners into line with other heavy industry like pipelines, offshore oil and gas production, and tanker traffic, which already have to provide financial security against the risk of disaster.
“This is not just about what happened at Mount Polley five years ago,” said Bev Sellars, former Chair fo First Nations Women Advocating Responsible Mining. “There are other mines being planned or already operating in B.C. that may never have been approved had financial assurance been in place when they applied for permits because they may not have been able to afford covering the risk. Financial assurance is long overdue to help protect communities and the environment currently threatened by mining disasters throughout B.C.”
The report also stresses First Nations representation in solutions.
