British Columbia’s world-class reclamation laws ensure that, once operations cease, mine site lands are returned to a useful and productive state. Before any work on a new mine site can commence, the company or individual doing the work must post a security which is held in trust by the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM). This security is returned only once the mine site is reclaimed to a satisfactory level and there are no ongoing monitoring or maintenance requirements. If a mine site is not reclaimed properly, the security money may be used by the Ministry to complete the remediation work.
The intent of the Province’s reclamation legislation is to ensure that modern mine sites in B.C. do not leave an ongoing legacy or require public funds for clean-up activities.
