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Eby's 'Look West' Turns Blind Eye to the Similkameen; BC Ignores First Nations in Rushed New Ingerbelle Mine Decision Beside and Below River
Eby's 'Look West' Turns Blind Eye to the Similkameen; BC Ignores First Nations in Rushed New Inge...
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[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n\nEby's 'Look West' Turns Blind Eye to the Similkameen; BC Ignores First Nations in Rushed New Ingerbelle Mine Decision Beside and Below River\n\n/* Style Definitions */\nspan.prnews_span\n{\nfont-size:8pt;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\n}\na.prnews_a\n{\ncolor:blue;\n}\nli.prnews_li\n{\nfont-size:8pt;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\n}\np.prnews_p\n{\nfont-size:0.62em;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\nmargin:0in;\n}\n.prnml40{\nMARGIN-LEFT:3.33em !IMPORTANT\n}\n\n\n\n\n\nCanada NewsWire\n\n\nBC Timelines Hurt First Nations and Business with Risks to River, Communities, and Jobs\nSMƏLQMIX TERRITORY (HEDLEY and KEREMEOS, BC), Dec. 3, 2025 /CNW/ - Premier David Eby's government is accelerating a controversial decision on the New Ingerbelle Project, a risky mine proposal on the banks of the Similkameen River south of Princeton, BC. Eby's new economic plan, Look West, released last week, states: \"Partnerships with First Nations are essential to BC's economic future…These partnerships will ensure First Nations define and benefit from economic development throughout their territories.\" On the New Ingerbelle Project, however, BC is hurrying past opportunities for genuine partnership that would benefit the province, First Nations, and business.\nThe two Similkameen First Nations are asking BC to slow down and start \"walking the talk\" on partnership as Ministry of Mines and Critical Minerals (MCM) staff ignore their input and force a critical mine decision in early January. The Nations have warned that BC's unilateral timelines put the entire mine review process at risk.\nThe New Ingerbelle Project is an expansion of the Copper Mountain Mine, purchased by Hudbay Minerals Inc. (TSX: HBM) in 2023. The new mine owners have made progress improving relationships and mine practice over the past two years. Upper Similkameen Indian Band (USIB) and Lower Similkameen Indian Band (LSIB) are participating in a purportedly \"collaborative\" review of the project with BC. However, after MCM released a draft Mines Permit on November 21—without key environmental permits—it gave the Nations a deadline of early December for final input and imposed a January 15, 2026 referral date to decision-makers.\nBoth Nations strongly object, stating that there is not enough time to review the draft permit, ...