Public Interest Bonding Strategy
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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.
Read the intentions paper (PDF, 2MB)
The ministry is holding virtual engagement sessions with B.C. First Nations and Indigenous Organizations and the public. The sessions will provide an overview of the intentions paper and offer an opportunity to ask questions. Early registration is now available for engagement sessions.
View the virtual session slide deck (PDF, 3MB)
Register for a virtual session
Public engagement sessions:
- April 10, 1-3 p.m.
- April 15, 9-11 a.m.
- April 22, 1-3 p.m.
B.C. First Nations and Indigenous Organizations sessions:
- April 16, 1-3 p.m. (Webinar 1)
- April 18, 1-3 p.m. (Webinar 2)
- April 23, 1-3 p.m. (Webinar 3)
- May 17, 9-noon (Workshop 1)
- May 21, 9-noon (Workshop 2)
- May 23, 9-noon (Workshop 3)
Take the online survey
Written submissions
Provide written feedback by email to: PIBS@gov.bc.ca
We welcome all submissions but there are some guidelines. Submissions must not:
- Contain profanity or content that is defamatory, threatening, hateful, personally disparaging, harassing, indecent, vulgar, obscene, illegal, immoral or sexually explicit (partially masking profanity or other unacceptable language by substituting asterisks or other symbols into a word is not acceptable if the word remains recognizable)
- Appear to, or actually, infringe the copyright, trademark, right of privacy, right of publicity or any other intellectual property or other proprietary right of any third party
- Contain information about, or images (e.g., photographs, videos or illustrations) of, any person other than the person submitting the content
- Advertise any product, person or organization, or direct attention to another website for personal gain
- Provide links to, or information about, other sites that contain unlawful, objectionable or inappropriate content
- Make unproven or unsupported accusations against individuals, groups or organizations
- Appear to be spam-like messaging, a repeat posting or a template letter writing campaign
- Be off topic of the consultation
Collection notice: Your personal information will be collected to inform the Public Interest Bonding Strategy. If you have questions about the collection of this personal information, please contact PIBS@gov.bc.ca. This information is being collected by the Ministry of Environment under the authority of section 26(c) and 26(e) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (“FOIPPA”).
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 Province 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 Province 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. View results of this engagement.
How your contribution makes a difference
Your input will provide valuable feedback on government policy and help develop an effective regulatory framework for the province.
Results
2022 engagement
Feedback received from Indigenous peoples, the public, and industry stakeholders 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 formal written submissions
- 5 email submissions
- 6 virtual engagement sessions
- 5 B.C. First Nations and Indigenous Organizations sessions
Read the reports:
- Read the Public Engagement What We Heard Report (PDF, 1MB)
- Read the Indigenous Engagement What We Heard Report (PDF, 700KB)