AME and its Land Access and Use Committee brought together executive directors, regional directors and statutory decision makers from the provincial government with AME members, our Board of Directors and regional exploration groups on November 24, 2017 to generate ideas to improve the efficiency of the provincial Notice of Work (NoW) permitting process for mineral exploration.
Guided by our member feedback and consistent with AME’s goal of improving the permitting process, as set out in its Annual Work Plan, AME designed this workshop to build upon last year’s inaugural Policy Forum. Together, the group identified key problem areas for potential resolution that impact the ease, efficiency and consistency with which notices of work are processed throughout the Province. Starting with ways to support the submission of complete permit applications to adapting processes to match a project’s complexity and improve transparency, the group collectively focused on solutions that are both practical and achievable. The success of the discussion was rooted in the understanding that the current issues come from all parties involved; and the responsibility for improvement lies with all of us.
The outcomes of the workshop include:
- Further, regular meetings between AME, members, and government to track and provide input on the permitting process.
- Regional permitting workshops to commence in the spring of 2018 for AME members and stakeholders.
- A clear NoW process map to help guide proponents’ understanding of the process.
- Improved data maps from government along with best management practices for NoW.
- Improved consistency of exploration permitting process across regions.
AME is appreciative of everyone who attended in person and by phone in the spirit of openness and collaboration. The commitment by government and the AME membership to improve the permitting process in an open and collaborative way builds our confidence in how the industry is moving forward. AME will continue achieving its Annual Work Plan, and we will continue to count on our membership for their valuable input and participation.
