In this episode of Beneath the Surface, we sit down with Nikki Skuce, Director of the Northern Confluence Initiative and co-chair of BC Mining Law Reform, to dive deep into the reform process for British Columbia’s Mineral Tenure Act (MTA). Nikki brings to light the historical context of the MTA, its longstanding impact on Indigenous rights and land use, and why comprehensive reform is not just necessary but urgent.

Listeners will also hear about the active role of the BC Mining Law Reform network in advocating for mineral staking reform and the specific outcomes we hope to achieve through the reform process.

Nikki provides practical ways listeners can support the reform efforts, including signing the following petition on our website: https://reformbcmining.ca/update-laws/.

This episode features an interview with Simon Wiebe, a former mineral exploration geologist and Mining Policy and Impacts Researcher with Wildsight.

Wildsight recently commissioned a groundbreaking report shedding light on the staggering costs associated with reversing selenium pollution, estimated at $6.4 billion dollars. Simon unpacks the report's findings and discusses their implications.

We kick off the conversation by exploring Wildsight's mission and what drove them to commission the report. Simon breaks down the science behind selenium contamination, its pathways into BC's waterways, and the ecological havoc it wreaks. The report's revelation that Teck's current reclamation security falls woefully short—$1.9 billion versus the needed $6.4 billion—leads to a discussion on the implications of this gap for future reclamation efforts.

You can access the report here: https://wildsight.ca/2024/03/19/the-elk-valleys-6-4-billion-pollution-problem/

Become a member of Wildsight

We sit down with Francesca Fionda, a reporter from The Narwhal, to discuss the recent investigation she led into BC's mining reclamation funding. Our discussion focuses on the significant shortfall in the funds set aside for reclamation—sometimes referred to as the Reclamation Liability Gap. We also chat about the collaborative nature of the investigation (it was the result of a joint effort by The Narwhal and The Globe and Mail), about the data that were used to tell the story, and about how taxpayers might be forced to foot the bill for mining disasters.

You can read Francesca's investigation here: https://thenarwhal.ca/bc-mining-liabilities-cleanup-costs-taxpayers/

Follow Frencesca on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FrancescaFionda

Learn more about BC Mining Law Reform: https://reformbcmining.ca/