There's Gold in Them Thar Hills—and Copper and Coal—and Premier Christy Clark Wants to Help Industry Dig In.
But environmentalists are already voicing concerns about the pitfalls of her government moving towards open-door mining policies. Clark's $300-million jobs plan, which she introduced last week after a province-wide tour, includes promises of eight new B.C. mines by 2015 and nine upgrades to existing mining operations. She didn't name any of the new mines, but spoke glowingly of the economic rewards and family-supporting jobs mines bring to B.C. communities, citing the recently reopened Copper Mountain copper mine at Princeton in the B.C. Interior. "We need more Princetons," said Clark about the mine that now employs 10 per cent of the community's workers. Click here to view the full article on CTV.

BC Hydro Won't be Dissuaded on Smart Meters: Rich Coleman
BC Hydro will proceed with its smart meter program regardless of growing municipal government opposition, Energy Minister Rich Coleman said Tuesday. As local government officials at the Union of B.C. Municipalities Convention grilled BC Hydro officials over why the utility is proceeding with the controversial $930-million infrastructure upgrade program despite concerns from residents, Coleman said the program is here to stay. “We continue what we are supposed to do, and that is to install smart meters in British Columbia,” he said. “We have already made the investment, we’ve already passed the legislation in the Clean Energy Act. We have invested [as much as] $400 million so far and a resolution [by the UBCM] is not going to stop us.”

The province has insisted BC Hydro convert and upgrade its meter system to devices that can be read remotely. It estimates the program will result in a net savings of $520 million over 20 years and lead to improved conservation of electricity. It will also put a significant damper on electricity theft from marijuana-growing operations. Read the full article in the Vancouver Sun.