On Feb. 20, the B.C. provincial government approved the revitalization and expansion of the Copper Mountain Mine — an old open pit mine — close to Princeton, on the Upper Similkameen and Lower Similkameen territories. The expansion will reopen the Ingerbelle gold and copper mine owned by Hudbay Minerals and extend its operational life till 2047. This will also include raising the tailing dam by 87 metres and provide around 800 jobs for the local community.Â
However, while the B.C. government stated that local Indigenous people were engaged in the project review process, the Upper and Lower Similkameen nations issued a joint statement condemning B.C. for moving forward with the project which received no prior and informed consent from the two nations. The statement noted that while the Similkameen nations signed participation agreements with the Ingerbelle mine earlier in February, the agreements clearly stated that no advanced consent was given.Â
The senior Vice President of Hudbay, Robert Carter, thanked the Upper and Lower Similkameen for their cooperation and assured that the expansion would comply with B.C.’s environmental standards. However, multiple previous offences, including the dumping of 3,000 litres of mine tailings on the land, raise concerns over further environmental damage.
