Premier David Eby was at Highland Valley mine near Logan Lake on Thursday, Sept. 11 to mark the official opening of the Highland Valley Copper Mine Life Extension project.
On June 17, 2025 the province announced that it had issued a B.C. environmental assessment certificate to Teck Highland Valley Copper Partnership for the project, which will see the life of Canada’s largest open-pit copper mine extended from 2028 to 2046.
The mine extension is predicted to produce approximately 900 million additional tonnes of ore and nearly two million additional tonnes of copper over the course of the mine’s expanded life. It will provide economic benefits to the province, the local community, and First Nations, with the expansion expected to increase local employment by adding 200 more permanent jobs. The mine currently employs 1,320 people, some 80 of whom live in Ashcroft, Cache Creek, and Spences Bridge.
The project will also create as many as 2,900 jobs during the construction phase, which has already started, and contribute $500 million annually in GDP. The cost of the extension project is estimated at $2.4 billion.
The premier spoke alongside Cook’s Ferry Band chief Christine Walkem and Teck CEO and president Jonathan Price. Walkem noted the long history of mining in the area, and said that the day marked a “very significant and important milestone” in the operations in the valley.
She added that all 15 bands within the nation were instrumental in the mine life extension decision, which is not just an economic or technical one.
“It is a decision directly affecting our people, our land, and our future. For far too long these decisions were made without us. It cannot continue. The Nlaka’pamux nation must have a say: not after decisions are made, but before and throughout that process. Our elders, our youth, and communities carry the knowledge of this land. Our voices hold wisdom that no report or study can replace.
“When our people speak of what’s at stake they speak for generations past and generations yet to come. That perspective must guide how our projects of this scale move forward.”
Walkem said that the Nlaka’pamux nation has taken its rightful place in making the decisions that shape the land. “Our opportunity and responsibility go hand in hand. Employment and training, business development are important, but they cannot come at the cost of the land, the water. Our responsibility is to our children and our grandchildren, to ensure they inherit a homeland that can sustain them, not one that has been exhausted.
“If we walk this path together, guided by honesty and respect, then the legacy of this project will not only be the ore taken from the ground, but also the way the people came together to do things differently, in partnership with the Nlaka’pamux nation whose lands make all of this possible. This is reconciliation in action, ensuring our voices are central, our responsibilities to the land are honoured, and our future generations inherit more than promises, they inherit a healthy homeland.”
Price said that it was a “big day,” not just for Teck but for British Columbia and Canada. He stated that the HVC Mine Life Extension was the largest critical minerals investment in B.C. history, and one of the largest ever in Canada. He noted that the mine has contributed to the lives of many people in many communities in many ways, but also acknowledged that historically, the Nlaka’pamux have not benefited to the same extent, or had the opportunity to contribute their knowledge of the land in the decision-making process.
“I am grateful that we have now started down a different path. While not perfect, this mine life extension project contributes to a new and more collaborative way of doing things. It’s a chance to do things better, so that HVC can continue to be a generational asset for everyone.”
He noted that, when developed responsibly, mines are powerful economic drivers that provide jobs and opportunities. “We also know how passionate our employees are about the places they call home. They donate thousands of hours and millions of dollars to make a meaningful difference in their communities.”
Price said that the mine life extension is a “significant” step forward for Canada’s critical minerals industry, and positions B.C. to be a critical minerals powerhouse while creating jobs and economic opportunities for generations to come. “Today is a big step.”
Eby said that the extension project means jobs for thousands of British Columbians, and billions of dollars of economic development in the province.
“It means that families from this region that have worked for generations at this site will continue to do so, but it also means that young people who are doing apprenticeships, who want to see a long career here at Highland Valley Copper will be able to see that happen. And it means prosperity, not just here in the local community but across the province.”
The premier noted that the mine life extension project at Highland Valley was one of the projects that was singled out for fast-tracking as far as permits and authorizations went, in response to the economic threats from the United States. “Today we are delivering for British Columbians.”
Eby also acknowledged the proposed “merger of equals” between the British-based Anglo-American mining company and Teck. “These two companies have committed not just to come together, but to locate the headquarters of their new company in British Columbia. What that means is that not only do we get to benefit from keeping Teck in British Columbia, but we add to that the global reach of a company like Anglo-American, and access to capital markets around the world to fund activities here in British Columbia like this project, which are not cheap to build.
“The marriage of these two companies, and the fact that the newlyweds will be making their home here in British Columbia, means the largest company in the history of B.C. is putting their headquarters in our province, and that our province is recognized internationally as a hub for mining.”
Eby pointed out that one direct job in the mining industry meant two more jobs elsewhere in the province. “The revenues from these sites go to deliver vital public services. In a time of economic threat, a time of slowing global economy, a project like this means that we are able to provide support for people across the province, but also the prosperity that all British Columbians deserve.
“I’m so excited about the potential here. There are threats, but today is a reflection of the opportunity, and that giant flag behind me is a reflection of what we all stand for here in British Columbia: a strong Canada with a strong Canadian workforce and strong Canadian companies, and we’re going to deliver.”
