Public Interest Bonding Strategy
On this page…
Overview
Who: Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy
What: To ensure industrial owners pay the full costs of environmental clean-up
Where: Province-wide
Why: Accountability for industrial project owners
How: Online
2024 engagement
The ministry is developing a new regulatory framework for decommissioning and closure of industrial projects in British Columbia. The framework aims to ensure that industrial projects, not British Columbians, plan and pay for decommissioning and closure of their sites, even if abandoned.
On April 9, 2024, the ministry released an intentions paper (PDF, 2MB) that laid out the regulatory framework for requiring decommissioning and closure plans and financial assurance (security).
The ministry held virtual engagement sessions with B.C. First Nations and Indigenous organizations, industry representatives and the public. The sessions provided an overview of the intentions paper and offered an opportunity to ask questions. You may download the Public Interest Bonding Strategy public engagement session presentation (PDF, 3MB).
View the results of this engagement.
2022 engagement
The objective of the Public Interest Bonding Strategy is to ensure that owners of industrial projects, not the people of British Columbia, pay the full costs of environmental clean-up and reclamation, even if projects are abandoned. On April 13, 2022, the ministry released a discussion paper (PFD, 450KB) on the Public Interest Bonding Strategy’s initial considerations to strengthen the financial assurance strategy in British Columbia.
The Public Interest Bonding Strategy aims to establish financial assurance mechanisms for existing active and new projects that pose high environmental and financial risks, with the goal of protecting the B.C. government and British Columbians from foreseen clean-up costs.
News Release: https://news.gov.bc.ca/26605
The Province conducted broad engagement to help inform effective and efficient solutions to deliver on the ministry’s mandate commitment. You may download the Public Interest Bonding Strategy public engagement session presentation.
Results
2024 engagement
Feedback received from Indigenous Peoples, industry, non-government organizations, and the public is summarized in two What We Learned reports below. The findings will be used to inform future policy and regulation development. This engagement had:
- 15 online feedback form completions
- 12 written submissions
- 5 virtual engagement sessions
- 6 virtual engagement sessions with First Nations and Indigenous organizations
Read the reports:
- Read the 2024 Public Engagement What We Learned Report (PDF, 900KB)
- Read the 2024 Indigenous Engagement What We Learned Report (PDF, 4 MB)
2022 engagement
Feedback received from Indigenous Peoples, industry, non-government organizations, and the public is summarized in the two What We Heard reports below. The findings will be used to inform future policy development and next phases of engagement. The engagement had:
- 67 online feedback form completions
- 16 written submissions
- 5 email submissions
- 6 virtual engagement sessions
- 5 B.C. First Nations and Indigenous Organizations sessions
Read the reports:
- Read the 2022 Public Engagement What We Heard Report (PDF, 1MB)
- Read the 2022 Indigenous Engagement What We Heard Report (PDF, 700KB)
Contact the ministry
If you have a question or comment about the Public Interest Bonding Strategy, please email PIBS@gov.bc.ca.
Your contact information is collected by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy under s.26(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and will be used to assess and respond to your enquiry. If you have any questions about the collection or use of this contact information, please contact us by email to PIBS@gov.bc.ca or by mail at PO Box 9341, STN PROV GOVT, Victoria, BC, Canada V8W 9M1, attention: Bonding and Site Remediation Section, Environmental Policy and Initiatives Branch, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.
Visit the project webpage.
Related engagements
