Working closely with AME, the BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation (EMLI) is piloting a Notice of Work intake batching process for new applications. The batching process will bring more certainty regarding when applications will be reviewed and feedback provided, as well as when applications will be sent out for referral to other agencies and to Indigenous nations for consultation.

Notice of Work (NoW) applications received by FrontCounter BC by the dates below will be assessed prior to the next intake date. For example, applications submitted on or before September 1 will be assessed by September 30.  Applications received after September 1 will be reviewed from October 1 to October 31. 

EMLI staff will undertake a preliminary review for completeness of the submission. Applications that are lacking sufficient information may be cancelled, and the proponent will be notified to resubmit a revised application for consideration in the next batch. 

Applications that pass the preliminary review will be assigned to an inspector for technical review and subsequent feedback to proponents.  If all necessary information has been provided by the proponent in a timely fashion and the application is deemed to be sufficient for the initiation of agency referral and Indigenous Nation consultation, then EMLI staff will send the application out for referral and consultation prior to the next intake date.  Please note that this proposed schedule is contingent on proponents submitting high-quality applications that convey all necessary information for permit adjudication.  Applications with significant deficiencies will be cancelled or rejected. 

This new intake process does not commit EMLI to a decision within the batching period but ensures a review and response within the batching period. 

It is anticipated that this pilot intake batching process will continue through to summer 2023, with the following intake dates. Note that the batching periods vary from one to three months, depending on the time of year.

  • September 1, 2022
  • October 1, 2022
  • November 1, 2022
  • December 1, 2022
  • February 1, 2023
  • April 1, 2023
  • June 1, 2023
  • September 1, 2023

It is highly recommended that Notice of Work applications for the summer 2023 field season be submitted as soon as possible but no later than February 1, 2023.