AME urges government action on Mineral Tenure Act

The Association for Mineral Exploration (AME) has published its "What We Heard" report, summarizing input from members, Indigenous communities, and other stakeholders on the impacts of modernizing the Mineral Tenure Act (MTA) for the mineral exploration and mining industries.

This report responds to the B.C. government's plan to update the MTA and Mineral Tenure Online (MTO) systems following a court ruling. While AME agrees on the need for a consultation standard, it is concerned about the limited engagement with the mineral exploration industry so far.

AME supports separating the duty to consult on mineral claims from the broader MTA modernization, as suggested by the court decision. However, it believes the government has given too little time — less than two weeks — for feedback on timelines that affect members' livelihoods.

"The discovery and development of critical minerals are of paramount importance to our economy," said AME’s president & CEO Keerit Jutla. "Given the government's critical minerals strategy, it is crucial that the government actively supports the initial stages of this process, ensuring fairness for independent prospectors and exploration companies."

The report includes feedback from a three-month consultation process, which involved sessions across B.C., an online survey and one-on-one meetings. Members highlighted various issues and proposed solutions to support and incentivize exploration.

AME urges the government to consider this feedback to support the future of the mineral exploration and mining sector. "We believe that the government's active engagement with mineral explorers is vital to the successful modernization of the MTA," added Jutla.

The full report is available to the public, government and stakeholders. AME looks forward to ongoing dialogue and collaboration in the MTA modernization process.

For more information, visit www.AMEBC.ca