Compliance and Enforcement Policy

Last updated on March 9, 2021

The Mining C&E Policy outlines the regulatory context of the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation’s approach to C&E in the mining sector, which includes the use of compliance promotion and verification activities. This policy is aligned with the Natural Resource Agencies Compliance Management Framework. The Mining C&E Policy sets out the tools available to inspectors when addressing incidents of non-compliance with the Mines Act and regulations, the Health, Safety and Reclamation Code for Mines in British Columbia (Code), permit conditions and orders, as well as incidents of non-compliance with the Mineral Tenure Act, Coal Act, and regulations under these acts.

In addition to bringing the ministry’s Mining C&E approach and tools together in one document, the C&E Policy sets out the Non-Compliance Decision Matrix (Matrix), a risk-based tool designed to assist inspectors in the consistent selection of the most appropriate C&E tool in response to potential non-compliance. The Matrix takes risk into account by requiring an assessment of the actual or potential impact of the non-compliance as well as likelihood of achieving compliance in a given situation. Inspectors consider this document and apply it when implementing C&E tools.