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The COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed the lives of every British Columbian. In BC’s mining sector, the pandemic prompted our members to take extensive measures to prevent transmission and protect the health and safety of our employees and nearby communities, while maintaining safe operations to keep British Columbians working.

We’re all in this together

COVID-19 has demonstrated the resilience of our industry, the commitment of our employees and the vital connections that keep our industry standing together and BC’s economy moving forward. Despite physical distancing, the pandemic has shown we’re all in this together—with our employees, our communities, and our indigenous partners.

Mine Rescue Week 2019 kicked off on Thursday May 30th, and this year marked the 64th annual Provincial Mine Rescue and First Aid Competition in Williams Lake, British Columbia with Mine Rescue teams competing to qualify in their respective zones for the final event on Saturday.

The Mine Rescue and First Aid Competition is focused on team knowledge of the Western Canada Mine Rescue Manual in three main categories: three person first aid, surface mine rescue and underground mine rescue.

In January 2019, the Provincial government released the Mining Jobs Task Force Report outlining twenty-four recommendations which begin to address key the competitiveness challenges facing BC's mining industry – five of these are already being put into action.  This was followed last week by the Federal government’s release of the Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan which sets out our national strategic vision for Canada’s mining sector as a global leader. Both reports reflect the recognition by our Provincial and Federal governments of the important contribution that mining continues to make to the economic and social well-being of all of our communities.  They also rightly recognize the important role mining plays in providing jobs and prosperity for Indigenous peoples and communities.

In the global mining industry, when it comes to competitiveness, we know there are a lot of forces at play. Mining companies do not set the price at which their goods are sold; they are set by the global commodity market, regardless of the cost of production within any given jurisdiction. Commodity prices go up and down, while the cost of doing business, and trade disputes can have lasting impacts on our sector. Mining companies in B.C. have become incredibly skilled over the years in mitigating the impacts, however, they remain uniquely susceptible a multitude of forces over which they have little or no control.