The British Columbia government has released a list of 18 critical mineral and energy projects worth roughly $20 billion that it says it’s working to accelerate in the face of ongoing tariff threats from the United States.
The list contains mining projects that have received pushback from some B.C. and Alaskan First Nations groups, including Eskay Creek, Highland Valley and Red Chris mines.
The government says the “initial list” is made up of projects that already have developed business cases but still need some type of permit or approval from government.
In Fort St. John, NorthRiver Midstream’s NEBC Connector project will join two other energy security projects in the province.
This is in addition to four mines, and eleven BC Hydro clean energy ventures that mostly involve wind power.
Those wind projects include Fort St. John’s Stewart Creek, and the Taylor Wind Project.
The Office of the Premier says in a statement that the projects will employ approximately 8,000 people in B.C. and the provincial government is working to identify other projects.
The release of the list comes after Premier David Eby said on Monday that the government was expediting them to diversify the economy, assuming there would be “four years of continual on and off tariff threats” from the United States under the presidency of Donald Trump.
*With files from a report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 4, 2025.