FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

VICTORIA / UNCEDED LEKWUNGEN TERRITORIES – Environment groups comprising the Clayoquot Sound Conservation Alliance (CSCA) condemn the recent permits issued by the BC NDP provincial government to clear forest and build exploratory drill pads in unceded Tla-o-qui-aht territory in Clayoquot Sound.

These permits were given to Imperial Metals last month, and allow for 22 drill pad sites, six trenches, and three helipads in the Tranquil Creek watershed, which is designated as a Tribal Park by the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation.

The CSCA, which includes Canopy, Friends of Clayoquot Sound, Sierra Club BC, Stand.earth and the Wilderness Committee, is calling on the BC NDP government to rescind the permits and commit to honouring the land use vision of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation.

“Clayoquot Sound is no place for mining, and it’s absolutely shameful for the government to approve exploration in a Tribal Park against the wishes of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation.” — Associate Director for the Wilderness Committee, Torrance Coste. He adds, “The BC NDP is choosing the interests of mining corporations over rights and title, and that’s unacceptable for any government, let alone one that claims to care about reconciliation.”

BC NDP must change course

Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation has declared mining as a non-permissable activity within its tribal parks, and has opposed the renewal of these exploration permits, which were originally granted more than a decade ago. Previously, the BC NDP took steps to respect the land use visions of the Tla-o-qui-aht and other First Nations in the Clayoquot Sound, most notably through a series of conservancies finalized in 2024.

“These permits undermine the tireless work of generations who have defended rainforests, clean water and salmon to support prosperity without industrial exploitation,” said Jens Wieting, Senior Policy and Science Advisor for Sierra Club BC. “British Columbia has made far‑reaching commitments to uphold the rights of Indigenous Peoples, protect the environment, and modernize land‑use planning in ways that support both, and decisions like this erode those commitments. The province needs to change course, starting in Clayoquot Sound.”

Permits Granted to Mount Polley Company

CSCA organizations support Indigenous-led conservation and the ability of First Nations Rights and Title holders to manage their territories, and will continue to work in support of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation and others to protect their territories from old-growth logging and mining.

“It is disrespectful to First Nations and endangers local livelihoods for the B.C. government to issue work permits for Imperial Metals, a corporation responsible for the Mount Polley disaster that polluted prime salmon habitat in the Fraser River watershed with 25 billion litres of toxic mine tailings,” said Jeh Custerra, Director with Friends of Clayoquot Sound. “We are sending a clear message to the B.C. government to do the right thing and cancel these permits.”

The groups are calling on the BC NDP to prioritize and invest in supporting Indigenous-led conservation in Clayoquot Sound and across B.C., in order to advance reconciliation and efforts to protect biodiversity and fight climate change.

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