B.C. doubles down on fast tracking risky gold mines along transboundaryTaku, Stikine and Unuk, and Salmon Rivers

Salmon Beyond Borders calls for bold action from Alaska and U.S.

JUNEAU, AK: In an industry-led attempt to take advantage of recent tension between the U.S. and Canada, the British Columbia (B.C.) government recently announced plans to fast track dozens of proposed gold mines and exploration projects in the transboundary Taku, Stikine, Unuk, and Salmon River basins, which flow from Northwest B.C. into Southeast Alaska.

While British Columbia’s mining track record has long been deeply concerning, this fast tracking of mines along shared rivers will likely lead to even more mining failures of greater magnitude in the transboundary region, with less oversight and zero recourse for U.S. downstream interests. Alaska and the U.S. need to take bold action right now before Canada unilaterally turns some of the most important Pacific salmon-producing river valleys left on Earth into a giant mining district.

On May 28, the Legislative Assembly of B.C. passed the highly controversial provincial Bill 14 - Renewable Energy Projects (Streamlined Permitting) Act and Bill 15 - Infrastructure Projects Act by one vote. This legislation enables Premier David Eby’s cabinet to pick and choose private sector projects, including major mines, to fast track with very little public review or oversight.

The Mining Association of B.C. (MABC) shared a map of the 27 key B.C. mines to construct first. This map includes eight proposed transboundary gold and gold-copper mines, including four that are very close to the Alaska-Canada border: the New Polaris gold mine in the Taku watershed, the Galore Creek gold-copper mine and mine waste dams in the lower Stikine River, the Kerr Sulphurets Mitchell (KSM) gold-copper mine in the Unuk and Nass watersheds, which is the largest undeveloped gold mine in the world, and the Premier gold mine and mine waste dams expansion, located less than one mile from the border. Without notifying those in Alaska, B.C.has permitted copper and zinc discharges indefinitely at Premier that exceed aquatic life guidelines in the downstream fish habitat of the transboundary Salmon River system. 

“This news from B.C. brings the threat of the industrialization of the transboundary rivers to a whole other level,” said Salmon Beyond Borders Director Breanna Walker. “Passage of these new laws, which severely curtail oversight of mine development on our shared rivers,  contradicts recent calls from B.C.’s own experts and community members who urge caution around large-scale mining in these shared salmon rivers as new salmon habitat is emerging from melting glaciers. B.C. has also passed these laws without even a mention of who’s downstream of these risky mine projects and failure-prone mine waste dams: Alaska.”

With these latest actions, Canada and B.C. run the risk of completely abdicating their responsibilities under the U.S.-Canada Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909. Canada and B.C. also continue to show little consideration for the health of shared waters and wild salmon runs.

In fact, B.C’s new expedited mine development and 100+ exploratory mine projects are focused in some of the most important salmon spawning and rearing habitat in the transboundary region, including the entire Iskut River valley, the Stikine’s largest tributary, and the headwaters of the Unuk River. B.C. has permitted virtually all lands along the Iskut River to be staked with mineral claims, and close to 90% of the B.C. side of the Unuk watershed is staked.

“The time is now for Tribes, other Alaskans, and Americans to push back against British Columbia's plans to industrialize the transboundary region, and to demand the creation of a framework we can use to share information and hammer out differences. If not, we face ‘undocumented extinction’ in this ‘salmon stronghold’ as a recent report from the B.C.-based Pacific Salmon Foundation concluded,” said Heather Hardcastle, Salmon Beyond Borders Advisor. “We are determined not to let that happen on our watch.”