1998/99 Legislative Session: 3rd Session, 36th Parliament
FIRST READING
The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.
The printed version remains the official version.
HONOURABLE DAN MILLER
MINISTER OF ENERGY AND MINES
AND MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR
NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT
WHEREAS the mining industry is important to the socio-economic interests of British Columbia;
AND WHEREAS it is in the best interests of British Columbia that the mining industry be economically viable and globally competitive;
AND WHEREAS British Columbia mining companies and their employees are recognized in Canada and around the world for their mineral exploration, development and operational expertise, mineral process engineering and environmental management, reclamation and protection services;
AND WHEREAS the government encourages responsible exploration for, and development and operation of, mines in British Columbia;
AND WHEREAS the government is committed to a timely and efficient approval process for mining activities;
AND WHEREAS the government recognizes the rights of persons to obtain access to their mineral tenures and to carry out mining activities responsibly and in accordance with the law outside legally designated protected areas, including the rights of persons to obtain access to their mineral tenures and to carry out mining activities responsibly in non-protected areas in which there are special management considerations developed under land use planning processes;
AND WHEREAS the government is committed to ensuring a productive and prosperous future for the mining industry and British Columbians who rely on the mining industry for employment, mineral products, public revenue and social and financial security;
THEREFORE HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:
Mineral Tenure Act
1 The Mineral Tenure Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 292, is amended by adding the following:
11.1 (1) In this section, "mining exploration" does not include the collection of a bulk sample of more than 1 000 tonnes of ore.
(2) A recorded holder of a mineral title or an owner of a Crown granted 2 post claim must be issued a special use permit under the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act, subject to terms and conditions set by the issuing authority, for the construction of appropriate access to the area of that mineral title or Crown granted 2 post claim for mining exploration, if the recorded holder or owner
(a) is the holder of a permit under the Mines Act for the mining exploration,
(b) applies for and receives the written approval of the Chief Inspector of Mines to the issuance under the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act of the special use permit, and
(c) applies under the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act for the special use permit.
(3) For the purpose of this section, the Chief Inspector of Mines may grant or refuse the written approval referred to in subsection (2).
17.1 (1) If, after the coming into force of this section, the minister responsible for the administration of the Park Act expropriates under section 11 of the Park Act the rights of a recorded holder of a lease or claim or of an owner of a Crown granted 2 post claim, compensation is payable to the recorded holder or owner, as the case may be, in an amount equal to the value of the rights expropriated, to be determined under the regulations.
(2) If the minister responsible for the administration of this Act and the recorded holder or owner, as the case may be, do not agree as to the amount of compensation that is payable under subsection (1), the minister or the recorded holder or owner may require the dispute to be settled by a single arbitrator who has the prescribed qualifications and is to be appointed by the minister.
(3) The award of the single arbitrator appointed by the minister responsible for the administration of this Act is binding on the parties to the arbitration.
2 Section 65 (2) is amended by adding the following:
(d.1) for the purposes of section 17.1,
(i) determining value and defining the components that comprise value,
(ii) methods of evaluation for use in determining value, that may differ according to different components of value,
(iii) factors to be taken into account in an evaluation,
(iv) defining the role of evaluators in a determination of value and prescribing qualifications for evaluators that are prerequisite to their participation in the determination of value, and
(v) prescribing the qualifications for a single arbitrator referred to in section 17.1; .
Mines Act
3 Section 38 (2) of the Mines Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 293, is amended by adding the following:
(a.1) respecting applications for, and the issuance of, permits and approvals, including but not limited to prescribing time limits within which specified steps in the application process must be taken; .
Expropriation Act
4 Section 2 of the Expropriation Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 125, is amended by adding the following:
(3.1) After the coming into force of this subsection, this Act does not apply to an expropriation under section 11 (2) of the Park Act of an interest in land in the form of
(a) rights under a lease, as defined in the Mineral Tenure Act, of the recorded holder of the lease, or
(b) rights under a Crown granted 2 post claim of its owner.
Park Act
5 Section 11 of the Park Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 344, is amended
(a) in subsection (2) by repealing paragraphs (a) and (b) and substituting the following paragraphs:
(a) land,
(b) rights under a lease, as defined in the Mineral Tenure Act, of the recorded holder of the lease,
(c) rights under a claim, as defined in the Mineral Tenure Act, of the recorded holder of the claim, or
(d) rights under a Crown granted 2 post claim of its owner, as defined in the Mineral Tenure Act. , and
(b) by repealing subsection (3) and substituting the following:
(3) In subsection (2), "Crown granted 2 post claim" has the same meaning as in the Mineral Tenure Act.
6 This Act comes into force by regulation of the Lieutenant Governor in Council.
SECTION 1: [Mineral Tenure Act, enacts sections 11.1 and 17.1]
SECTION 2: [Mineral Tenure Act, adds section 65 (2) (d.1)] enacts regulation making powers respecting determination of the value of any mineral rights taken for parks, for purposes of deciding compensation.
Mines Act
SECTION 3: [Mines Act, adds section 38 (2) (a.1)] enables regulations setting time limits for the application process under the Mines Act.
Expropriation Act
SECTION 4: [Expropriation Act, adds section 2 (3.1)] identifies the mineral rights that are interests in land and provides that the Expropriation Act does not apply in respect of those interests. Under the Mineral Tenure Act as amended, the compensation for expropriated mineral rights, whether interests in land or chattel interests, is to be agreed or, failing agreement, decided by binding arbitration.
Park Act
SECTION 5: [Park Act, amends section 11] adds (to the provision of the Park Act that empowers the Minister of Environment, Lands and Parks to acquire land and other rights for parks and recreation areas) express references to the types of expropriated mineral rights for which compensation will be payable under the Mineral Tenure Act.
[ Return to: Legislative Assembly Home Page ]
Copyright © 1999: Queen's Printer, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada