Minister of Mining and Critical Minerals Jagrup Brar recently visited Fort St. James and Milligan Mine to tour the facility and highlight its role in BC's economic and environmental strategy.
Following the tour, Brar spoke with The Citizen and expressed his admiration for the operation and the support it provides to local communities. A highlight for him was meeting workers and witnessing the impact the mine has on their lives.
“I was very pleased to meet an Indigenous worker there,” Brar said. “Her name is Sarah, she works there full time and has a very good, family-supporting job. Sarah is a success story. About 19 per cent of the people who work at the mine are from Indigenous communities, and about 70 per cent of the workforce comes from local communities. They are supporting the local economy and helping local towns. I was very pleased to see that, because mining in this area is a major contributor to the local economy and supports economic development.”
Brar also noted that, in addition to providing 40,000 jobs across B.C., the mining sector has grown in importance to the provincial economy in recent years.
“Since 2017, total employment has increased by 10 per cent. Private sector investment in mineral resource development has more than doubled, and mineral exports, which are crucial right now, have increased in value by 41 per cent, reaching $17 billion in 2023. Mining exports are also predominantly going to Asia — over 90 per cent — so we're not reliant on the U.S. for exports from the mining sector.”
Regarding the impact of potential tariffs on mining, Brar acknowledged some minor effects but remains confident in the province's connections to Asian markets.
“Tariffs will have some impact, but it will be very minor,” Brar said. “Mining uses a lot of machinery, including trucks, loaders, and other equipment that come from the U.S. If we enter a tariff war, it could affect the sector in that respect. However, when it comes to mining exports, we are in a strong position. We have customers in Asia, particularly in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.”
Brar also spoke about the North's growing role in BC's mining development and the opportunities it presents for economic prosperity.
“The North has a huge role to play and a huge opportunity,” Brar said. “Last time I was here, I visited Blackwater, a new gold mine. It's a massive operation and is creating hundreds of jobs for the local community. We’ve also issued a permit to Caribou Gold, which will begin construction soon, creating more local jobs and opportunities for small businesses. During this visit, I met with the leadership of FPX, which is currently in the exploration stage for a new proposed mine. There is significant potential for mining in the North.”
In addition to advancing the mining industry, Brar emphasized the importance of working with Indigenous communities to bring stability to the sector.
“It’s important that we advance reconciliation to ensure stability in the mining sector,” Brar said. “Without reconciliation, it will be difficult to achieve stability. First Nations play a significant role in that respect. We also need to share the prosperity of the industry with them, which is the essence of reconciliation.”
Finally, Brar outlined his recent commitments to funding and improving efficiency in the North's mining sector.
“Premier Eby is committed to addressing the infrastructure needs of the northwest region,” Brar said. “As part of that commitment, we recently announced $195 million in joint funding with the federal government through the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund to support upgrades to Highways 37 and 51. These upgrades are crucial for the mining sector’s future. We’re also working to streamline the permitting process without compromising our world-class environmental standards or reconciliation efforts. For example, we now run a joint application process, conducting environmental assessments and mining technical reviews simultaneously, which reduces the process by 30-35 per cent.”
