Mount Polley mine faces major setback as First Nation fights to prevent another environmental crisis
The
British Columbia Supreme Court
has ordered
Mount Polley Mining Corporation
to stop its plan to raise the height of its
tailings dam
. The court said the expansion cannot go ahead until at least July 1, 2025.
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This decision follows a legal challenge by the
Xatśūll First Nation
. The
First Nation
says the province approved the dam expansion without proper consultation or a full environmental review. They argue the decision goes against British Columbia's own rules on Indigenous rights.
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The province had allowed the company to raise the dam by four metres. It said the increase was needed to manage heavy spring runoff and had gone through technical checks and some consultations.
But the Xatśūll First Nation disagreed. They said the process was rushed and ignored serious environmental concerns.
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Their fear is not unfounded. In 2014, the tailings dam at the same
Mount Polley mine
collapsed. That disaster released about 25 million cubic metres of mine waste into nearby lakes and rivers. It became one of the worst environmental events in B.C.'s history.
The company that owns the mine, Imperial Metals, says it still has enough space in the tailings facility for now. It says it doesn't need the extra capacity from the expansion until July 2025. The company has also agreed to wait and not move forward with raising the dam until that time.
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A hearing on the issue is set to resume on June 24, 2025. The Xatśūll First Nation plans to ask the court to keep the block on the expansion in place until the full legal review is over.
This case highlights growing tension in B.C. between mining projects and Indigenous land rights. It also raises bigger questions about how governments consult First Nations on decisions that impact their land and environment.
For now, the court has sent a clear message: more caution and deeper consultation are needed when it comes to projects that carry environmental and cultural risks.
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