Mining task force goals will increase jobs, chop red tape: Premier Horgan

VANCOUVER – Premier John Horgan says the British Columbia government is moving forward on recommendations from a mining task force aimed at boosting jobs in the industry.

The premier announced at the Association of Mineral Exploration conference in Vancouver that his government is committing $1 million to work with industry to develop a road map for mining innovation.

Horgan says another $1 million will go toward the continuation and expansion of the Regional Mining Alliance, which promotes mining industry partnerships with Indigenous Peoples.

He also says the government will make permanent two tax incentives that support investment in B.C.’s mining industry, which had previously been renewed on an annual basis.

The premier adds that staffing will be increased in the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources in order to make processes more efficient and speed up permitting applications.

When he launched the task force, Horgan says he sensed some apprehension and a feeling of “been there, done that” among industry, but his government truly wants to blaze a new way forward for mining in the province.