RemTech 2012 - Call for Abstracts Deadline June 1, 2012

October 17-19, 2012
Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel Read More...

New Prosperity Gold-Copper Mine Project Federal Review Panel Established Three-member review panel for the federal environmental assessment

OTTAWA, May 9, 2012 /CNW/ - The Honourable Peter Kent, federal Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) announced today the establishment of a three-member review panel for the federal environmental assessment of the proposed New Prosperity Gold-Copper Mine Project in British Columbia. Read More...

Canada-wide Standards for Benzene CCME Releases 2010 Final Report

Benzene is a non-threshold toxicant - a substance for which there is considered to be some probability of harmful effects at any level of exposure. On the basis of available data, benzene is carcinogenic to humans. The implementation of the  Canada-wide Standard (CWS) for Benzene will reduce Canadians' exposure to this known human carcinogen. Read More...

Legal Case Study - New MSDEP Declaration: Permits May Be Delayed Or Refused Now required to be filed as a condition for the issue, maintenance or renewal of an authorization certificate or permit

Following the recent amendments to the Québec Environment Quality Act (the "EQA"), the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks ("MSDEP") recently published the form of a new declaration which is now required to be filed as a condition for the issue, maintenance or renewal of an authorization certificate or permit.  Read More...

Dealing with contaminated sites shows major challenges remain Some of the thousands of contaminated sites are a testament to poor planning, the failure of initial assessments to anticipate and avoid future environmental and human health problems

The federal government has made progress in identifying contaminated sites for which it is responsible, and to date it has closed almost half of them. However, addressing the remaining sites will be a major challenge, says Scott Vaughan, Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, in his report tabled today in the House of Commons. Read More...

Bilateral R&D Funding Opportunity for Canadian and Brazilian Companies Information Sessions to be held May 8 & May 29

Canadian funding recipients are eligible to receive up to a maximum of CDN $400,000 or up to 50 percent of the total R&D project value. Read More...

Call Out for CEP Board Member Candidates CEP AGM to be held May 9, 2012

Deadline for applications extended until May 7th Read More...

Alex Tu joins BCEIA Board of Directors Senior Strategic Technology Specialist in the Office of the Chief Technology Officer with BC Hydro

The BCEIA Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Alex Tu to the BCEIA Board. Read More...

Brownfield Funding Program Now Open Part of the the BC Brownfield renewal strategy

On behalf of BC Brownfield Renewal Strategy and the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations,  we are pleased to announce that the Brownfield Funding Program is open. Read More...

The Federal Government’s Plan to Overhaul Environmental Assessment Plan Contains a Series of Measures Centered on Four Themes

On April 17^th, the Minister of Natural Resources announced the Harper Government's plan to streamline the environmental assessment process for major economic projects.

According to the Government, more then 500 projects representing $500 billion in new investments will be proposed across Canada in the next 10 years, and it is against this backdrop that the "Responsible Resource Development" plan was announced. Read More...

Imperial's Red Chris Project Receives Mine Permit

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, May 07, 2012 - Imperial Metals Corporation reports the Province of British Columbia has issued a Mines Act permit for Red Chris. Mine development will include a 30,000 tonne per day milling operation and related open pit mine. 

The Red Chris project received British Columbia Environmental Assessment Certification in 2005 and Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) approval in 2006. In July 2010, the Company submitted an Application for a Mines' Act Permit following confirmation by the Supreme Court of Canada on a challenge under CEAA that there was no evidence before it of dissatisfaction with the environmental assessments conducted by the BC Environmental Assessment Office or the responsible authority and no evidence of dissatisfaction with the assessment process from anyone else. The Supreme Court of Canada held that the project could go ahead.

The project will employ approximately 300 hourly, salaried and contract personnel, with the workforce is expected peak at 500 workers during construction.

Imperial is a mine development and operating company based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Company's key properties are two open pit mines: Mount Polley copper/gold mine and Huckleberry copper/molybdenum mine, both in British Columbia, as well as the development stage Red Chris copper/gold property in British Columbia, and the Sterling gold property in Nevada.

WorkSafeBC exec says asbestos disease still top concern for B.C. workers

by Mari-len De Guzman 23 April 2012

VANCOUVER - The effects of long years of exposure to asbestos is still one of the biggest challenges faced by British Columbia's workers today, and it is expected to continue to be a problem in this decade. This was according to Donna Wilson, vice-president for industrial service and sustainability for WorkSafeBC, the province's workers' compensation board. [check out WorkSafeBC's asbestos resource site]

Company faces possible fines for improper asbestos disposal

By Tyler Orton - Langley Times The BC Ministry of Environment is investigating a local business for improper disposal of hazardous material, after bags of asbestos were found scattered across the company's property last month. 

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Bar reset for environmental review

ROBERT MATAS
VANCOUVER- From Thursday's Globe and Mail

Published Wednesday, Apr. 18, 2012 10:22PM EDT

"This isn't about reducing the bar for environmental assessment," says B.C. Environment Minister Terry Lake, referring to federal changes in the environmental review process.

Federal Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver announced sweeping changes this week to the federal environmental review process. Ottawa will limit its reviews to major projects, such as the Northern Gateway pipeline from the Alberta oil sands to the B.C. port of Kitimat. In most other cases, the federal government will step back and let the provinces conduct environmental assessment reviews. The provinces will be expected to meet standards set out in federal legislation.

B.C. urged Ottawa to have one environmental assessment process. Despite best efforts to align federal and provincial efforts, the process results in delays, duplication, lost economic opportunities and investor uncertainty, the provincial government told the committee.

Currently, both Ottawa and the provinces conduct environmental reviews. Ottawa is currently involved in assessing 562 projects in B.C., while the province is looking at 69 projects. Dozens are being reviewed by both levels of government. B.C. says two-thirds of the projects currently undergoing provincial environmental assessments also require a federal review. Read More

Blakes 17th Annual Overview of Environmental Law and Regulation in British Columbia 2012

Readers may check out the latest update on environmental law in British Columbia published by the Vancouver based Blakes Environmental Group. This ecellent compendium is a must read for environmental business professionals. Read More

B.C. toxic sites' cleanup costs rise

By Tara Carman, Vancouver Sun April 12, 2012

The estimated cost of identifying and cleaning up contaminated sites on Crown land in B.C. ballooned by $73 million between 2006 and 2012, government figures show. The province's price tag for cleanup of these sites has increased to $237 million this year, up from $163.7 million in 2006, according to government reports from those two years. The figures are cumulative since 2001. 

The increase is due to a number of factors, including an expanded number of investigations into the nature of contamination at various sites throughout the province and increases in the estimated liability at these sites , a spokesman from the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations said in an interview. Read more: