BC Government - Mines Permit Fees

I'm not clear on what justifies $2,000 fee for NOW. With that said, I don't agree with it.

#13: Bruce Chaytor - MINES PERMIT FEES

Well said.

The proposal is a draconian measure to drive the common miner off his claim.

This is blatantly anti small scale mining! FJ Forman

It,s time to stop the graft that the Gov. keeps
pushing for.[IE] reclamation fees,registration
fees ,And now this stupidity fee for NOW.
enough is enough.

There must not be any new fees or permitting barriers, they just stifle exploration. Government will recover more revenue from taxes on money spent on exploration, than from fees.

the all out attacks on prospectors and minors must stop. prospectors built it and supported it for years now you say they don't belong. where would you be without them.??

This legislation and new fee scheduled will effectively shut down any and all small operations run by average Joe from ever being developed by pricing them out of the business. I don't mind buying a permit but thousands just to apply? This is a huge cash grab from a community that can hardly afford it. The majority of prospectors are far from rich and will never be able to develop their finds, the land will be abandoned and the multi nationals and big boys will pick it all up. DON'T LET THEM!

#26: -

basically if you find a deposit that you wish to determine the size of using any mechanical equipmet, Ie.. electic or gas powered drills, pumps over 1.5 inch intake or and mechanical digging or earth moving equipment, all necessary things to determine deposit size. This is necessary to bring any claim into any form of production, If you want to explor 1 Hectare (about 1.8 acres) it will cost you 2k just to apply. 1-3Ha- 3k to apply, and over 3HA 6k to apply. If your application is accepted for reveiw it is non refundable whether you get the approval or not. If you get the approval now you have to pay for the permit, bonds and satrisfy al enviromental concerns etyc etc... This is not so bad because once you have an approved application it doesn't take long to determine if you found a pocket or a larger deposit that requires further exploration. Under this system say you want to save $$$ and only apply to explore 1Ha or less around a find for 2k then you find reason to continue looking and decide to expand your exploration to 4Ha, that is another 6k to apply again! Let's say you do that and decide to reduce your work area to 2.5Ha, then you get to pay the 3k fee to apply for that, read it carefully, they ding you every time.

#1: Donna Chaytor -

Maybe that is what is needed a Wildcat strike of miner's where we all go wildcat?

#5: -

No fees they make their money off of taxes and approved mines why must we pay just to apply to explore? We have to pay again if we are approved and place bondsa on the land is that not enough? they are cutting our legs out from under us before we can get a start.

 

#13: Bruce Chaytor - MINES PERMIT FEES

I see a lot of Wildcat mines that will say to hell with government regulation because of this, Personally I don't blame them but it will cause more problems.

 

Its ridiculous we are supposed to be a free miner of the the government and now they want to rip of there own prospecters idiots

I think this is only detrimental to small scale (mom and pop) operations such as mine. in the future we will not be able to do the exploration on our claim because of the cost of the NOW and bond.
Tim Kleman

This is detrimental to all operations even the large scale. As they are already taxed as their books are open to the government, why should they also pay for all exploration work they do. Exploration work is important in order to find the gold, in order to turn a profit to pay taxes. This will have a huge effect on them, as each area requires a NOW. Tim, if we fight this there is the probability it will be stopped. I see this a a much larger picture, I see it as the death or the Placer Industry period. People who pan feel they are not affected, well they are, as once legislation is allowed to get to this point, there will be more fees, levies, permits, etc., and eventually there will be a collapse. I have every belief that the different organizations throughout British Columbia and the core voice of "all" of those with vested interest will defeat this. Encourage all you know to sign this petition, we need a landslide of people. Chin up better days to come.

The proposed BC Government mine permit fees are regressive and would hamper the mining industry, especially for smaller operators. The costs to process permits should be paid for by existing taxation. The alternative is to reduce the size of government and start to wind down the onerous size of our committment due to government sponsored defined benefit pension plans.
It is time to reduce not increase government fees.

Jim McMillan

#22: Okanagan Gold Prospector - Re:

Actually, as I already posted, MTO told me that even for hand work, using a pump, requires a NOW to be submitted.

It is the PERMIT that they decide to either give you or tell you "officially" that no permit is required.

"This fee is a draconian measure to discourage Placer Mining activities! It is opposed to the attitude and the History of British Columbia" Dr. Patrick Lydon.

This unfair fee is a draconian measure to eradicate placer miners in British Columbia.

We will be pulling all our dollars out of BC if this happens.

The proposed fees send a clear message that although government may say they are pro-mining they act like they are anti-exploration. Mining and exploration are essential to each others sustainability. The proposed fees will strongly deter small scale explorers from undertaking initial mechanized work on their properties, essential to making the new discoveries that are the seeds of the exploration industry, and eventually the new crop of mines in BC.

if these proposed fees represent 60% of the cost of issuing a permit it should be extremely obvious that we are too top heavy in government.time to take a look inward and streamline the ministries.seems the government is more interested in a money grab than creating jobs.time for government to offer incentives to prospectors for exploration instead of all the roadblocks.

#41: -

I agree, permitting and bonding should be eliminated for small operators.

The small independent placer miner has it place in BC, as not all deposits can be economically mined by large operations. Small miners contribute to the economy as a small business, while also providing important mineral deposits information to the government. Quite simply, BC will be leaving money in the ground by over taxing the small operator.

Because small-scale placer mining is exploratory work and already involves considerable expense and usually small return to the small-scale operator then the small-scale operator should not be chased away by additional fees. Guy Scott