Eby touts “billions” in projects plagued by BC NDP regulatory delays

B.C. Premier David Eby says he has “greenlit billions worth of private sector and First Nations-led projects that are ready to go and will create thousands of jobs”.

Source: Facebook

B.C. Premier David Eby says he has “greenlit billions worth of private sector and First Nations-led projects that are ready to go and will create thousands of jobs” but regulatory notices show that the BC NDP government have repeatedly delayed the projects in the past.

In an October 6 X post pinned to the premier’s profile, Eby says: “here in this province, we have literally tens of billions worth of major projects that are ready to go.”

The B.C. premier has said fast-tracking 18 major projects is partly a response to economic threats from tariffs and ongoing trade uncertainties with the United States.

However, a cursory glance at some of these projects reveals many have been stalled or made more difficult by the B.C. NDP’s enforcement delays and other provincial regulatory hurdles.

A 2024 report by the Mining Association of B.C. further highlights that major mine expansion approval timelines in the province exceed six years, nearly double the Canadian average.

“The province’s permitting process, which can take from 12 to 15 years, is plagued by delays, duplication, and inefficiencies. This puts BC at a disadvantage in attracting private sector investment and realizing the economic and community benefits that come with critical minerals development,” reads the report.

Projects often mentioned in this context include the Red Chris mine expansion, the Mt. Milligan mine, and the Highland Valley Copper Mine Life Extension.

The Red Chris copper and gold mine in northwestern B.C., majority-owned by Newcrest Mining Ltd. with Imperial Metals as a minority partner, received an environmental assessment certificate in 2005.

The mine’s proposed transition to a large-scale block cave operation has been under environmental review since 2019, when the NDP government required new impact studies and consultation processes.

The B.C. NDP government has also issued enforcement actions in recent years, including penalties related to water management and monitoring requirements.

Despite Eby’s assurances that the project is among those being expedited, the expansion remains under review — subject to environmental approval from both the province and the Tahltan Nation.

Among the 18 projects apparently being greenlit by the Eby government, Teck Resources Ltd.’s Highland Valley Copper Mine near Logan Lake submitted its mine life extension proposal in 2019, seeking to extend operations from 2028 to 2043.

The expansion would add roughly $1.5 billion in construction and operational spending and maintain hundreds of jobs in the region.

The project only received its long-awaited environmental assessment certificate in June 2025, a full six years after its initial submission.

Meanwhile, the Mt. Milligan copper-gold mine, north of Prince George and operated by Centerra Gold, has been in production since 2013.

It remains unclear why the province listed it earlier this year as one of the projects being “fast-tracked” under the government’s new permitting initiative.

Despite having a certificate, the mine faces ongoing “compliance issues” that make doing business in B.C. exceedingly challenging.

In early January 2024, for example, the province’s Environmental Assessment Office issued a warning letter for failing to comply with certain conditions, such as safe storage of wildlife attractants and proper notification of construction commencement for amendment activities.

In its own commentary on regulatory hurdles to the mining industry in B.C., the Fraser Institute suggests that “to boost resource development, the Eby government must address the negative perception among investors caused by uncertainty and inconsistency within B.C.’s regulatory regime.”

For now, projects like Red Chris and Highland Valley Copper appear to be inching closer to final approval — but whether the premier’s “fast-tracking” initiative truly marks a change in pace remains an open question subject to both skepticism and doubt.