Highland Valley mine meeting with BC ministers, Secwepemc leaders ‘cut short’

A meeting between BC cabinet ministers and Secwepemc leadership was cut short as they attempted to negotiate consent for the massive Highland Valley Copper mine expansion.

Why the meeting ended early isn’t clear, but cabinet ministers tried and failed to reschedule, only to receive a letter from Stk’emlupsemc te Secwepemc Nation (SSN) outlining and affirming their non-consent for the project, according to a provincial government report.

The First Nations governance organization has claimed title rights over the land, but it’s an assertion unrecognized by the province and challenged by neighbouring Nlaka’pamux First Nations in the region who cite sole rights to the land.

“We have considered the matters in that letter in our decision… (and) we believe the environmental assessment office’s consultation with SSN was adequate and carried out in good faith,” the June 17 report read.

Signed by Environment Minister Tamara Davidson and Mining Minister Jagrup Brar, the report outlines their decision to approve environmental plans for Highland Valley Copper mine’s expansion. The Teck-owned mine near Logan Lake is Canada’s largest open pit copper mine and it was slated for closure by 2028, but the expansion plan will see operational until 2043.

SSN voiced environmental concerns for the 1,500-hectare expansion, citing risks to water and wildlife, for example.

Its title claims remain the most contentious and appears to be the issue neither party would move on.

“We recognize that SSN and BC do not agree about the ethnohistoric use of the Highland Valley, which has made it very challenging to reach consensus on the effects of (the expansion) on SSN’s Aboriginal rights and title,” the ministers’ report read.

The ministers went on to conclude some environmental conditions imposed after SSN filed a dispute “strike a reasonable balance” between the province’s interests and SSN’s.

Highland Valley near Logan Lake is recognized as Nlaka’pamux land, and eight of those communities called Secwepemc land claims to the area “erroneous misrepresentations.”

SSN, which represents Tk’emlups te Secwepemc and Skeetchestn Indian Band, claimed the land is also historically significant to their people and detailed its argument in a report published in November. It doesn’t appear the Secwepemc claims to the land exclude Nlaka’pamux First Nations, but it does argue the province’s “preference” for the neighbouring communities “creates division” between them.

SSN did not return a request for comment on the environmental approval or its land claims in the area.

Highland Valley Copper still needs some mining permits before work can begin, but Teck expects construction on the $1.5 billion expansion to start before the winter.

Teck said between 500 to 1,250 jobs would be created for construction of the expansion, with an additional 200 permanent jobs expected for the larger operation. The mine currently employees 1,320 people.