Province establishes mining jobs task force

Feb 26, 2018 | 1:03 PM

KAMLOOPS — The B.C. government commemorated Mining Day Monday by establishing a new task force aimed at strengthening the province’s mining industry.

The 12-member B.C. Mining Jobs Task Force will include representatives from industry, First Nations, municipal government, an environmental non-governmental organization, labour, post-secondary/training and the financial sector. The task force will submit its report, including recommendations by Nov. 21, 2018.

The recommendations will be made in the following areas:

  • Establishing baseline metrics (e.g. cost of production, carbon intensity, employment statistics, expenditures and revenues) to measure the current state of the industry and provide an economic impact analysis of the mining sector in B.C.;
  • Skills training and development, so that British Columbians can enter and grow careers in the sector;
  • A co-ordinated provincial approach to geoscience;
  • Potential financial incentive programs and the province’s competitiveness and approach to attract mining investment into B.C.
  • Identify innovation and partnership opportunities that ensure an environmentally sustainable mining sector;
  • Identify best practices in jobsite health and safety;
  • Increasing public awareness of the importance of the mining sector to the province and its role in a low-carbon future