BUDGET: AME responds to new BC budget

[caption id="attachment_1003717287" align="alignleft" width="133"] Diane Nicolson, AME chair and president of Amarc Resources.[/caption] VICTORIA, B.C. – The Association for Mineral Exploration (AME) has expressed support for the 2017 budget the British Columbia finance minister Mike de John tabled on Feb. 22. The budget confirms the extension of the B.C. mining flow-through share tax credit through Dec. 31, 2017 and the expansion of the B.C. mining exploration tax credit to include costs incurred for environmental studies and community consultations as announced by Premier Christy Clark on Jan. 23 at AME's Roundup conference. Premier Clark also announced $10 million to fund Geoscience BC for two years to stimulate and attract further investment in mineral exploration. In addition, the 2017 budget includes increased funding of $18 million to the Ministry of Energy and Mines over the next three years to support mine permitting and oversight, including compliance and enforcement. "As we see initial encouraging signs of a return to investor confidence for the mineral exploration industry, it is imperative that British Columbia is competitive on a global scale and, in particular, nurtures grassroots and early stage exploration which is vital to the long term sustainability of the industry," says Diane Nicolson, chair of the AME board. "T[he] budget announcement demonstrates that the provincial government is aware of the significant contribution that mineral exploration and development makes to the province, and to its communities and families." Learn about the broad range of services AME offers its members at www.AMEBC.ca.