Permit Amendments for Construction and Operation Activities
Last updated on January 19, 2023An application must be made to the Chief Permitting Officer (CPO) to amend an existing Mines Act permit.
All applications undergo review by Provincial technical experts, often including geotechnical, geoscience, reclamation, health and safety, water management, hydrology, hydrogeology, and biology subject matter experts. Reviewers may provide comments on an application such as clarification or information requirements to better understand the risks and impacts of a project; they may also recommend permit conditions. Complex projects are referred to the coordinated authorizations process, and are reviewed through a Mine Review Committee (MRC).
Indigenous nations are also invited to review Mines Act permit applications. Participation of Indigenous nations ranges from notification to deep level consultation depending on the nature and location of the project and any applicable treaty and non-treaty agreements.
All Mines Act permit applications for coal and mineral mines are managed by the Major Mines Office (MMO) and must be submitted through the MMO’s intake email permrecl@gov.bc.ca.
Before submitting an amendment application
Prior to submitting an amendment application, proponents should identify and prepare the information needed for the project, including technical, socio-cultural, and project management aspects. This information is collected, analyzed, and summarized through both quantitative and qualitative methods (e.g. baseline studies and engagement). Qualified professionals are required to prepare certain types of information for the application.
Information for Mines Act permit amendment applications will differ depending on the nature of the project. Proponents should engage with MMO staff directly to refine the types of information that will be needed for their project.
Intake and fees
Mines Act permit applications must be submitted to the permrecl@gov.bc.ca email inbox. For oversize documents, links to document sharing sites may be included in the email.
Non-coordinated Mines Act permit applications require a non-refundable $10,000 fee. Payments are made to the “Minister of Finance” and are made via electronic funds transfer or by cheque.
Review and decision
For planning purposes, typical service timelines for non-coordinated permit amendments range from 1.5 to 3 months from the time of application submission to referral for decision, and they typically require 1 to 2 rounds of review. However, timing is highly dependent on the quality and completeness of the application as well as any project constraints and changes. Proponents should review the Major Mines Authorizations Guide (PDF, 1.7MB) and engage with the B.C. Major Mines Office (MMO) prior to submitting their application.
The CPO considers the comments and recommendations of technical experts, Indigenous nations, stakeholders, and any other participating reviewers when making their decision. Often, permit conditions will be included regarding the scope, requirements, and nature of the work and activities.
Read the Major Mines Authorizations Guide (PDF, 1.7MB) to learn more about permitting major mineral and coal mines.
Contact information
Construction and operations permits for major mineral and coal mines are managed by the EMLI Major Mines Office.
permrecl@gov.bc.ca