Code Review Committee
The Health, Safety and Reclamation Code for Mines in British Columbia (the Code) provides the detailed regulation for all aspects of mining and mineral exploration in B.C.
About the Code Review Committee
The Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation appointed a standing Code Review Committee (the Committee) in 2019. The Committee has equal representation from Indigenous communities, labour and industry.
The Committee recommends revisions to the Code every year. The Committee makes revisions that:
- improve worker health and safety
- protect the public and the environment
- support the safe introduction of new technology
Membership
Code Review Committee Membership (PDF, 173KB)
Ongoing work
The Code Review Committee creates sub-committees and task groups as needed to review priority topics. Sub-committees and task groups do the technical review and make recommendations for Code revisions to the Committee.
This sub-committee formed in 2020. The sub-committee is currently addressing the use of emerging technologies on mine sites. This includes:
- Battery electric and hydrogen vehicles
- Hybrid vehicles
- Trolley-assisted vehicles
Prior to this work, the sub-committee reviewed and made recommendations for the use of autonomous and semi-autonomous machine systems on mines.
| Member | Represents |
|---|---|
| Don Sander (Chair) | Industry - major mines |
| Charlie Allison | Upper Similkameen Indian Band |
| Jorge Freitas | EMLI |
| Michael Gagnon | Industry - major mines |
| Kyle Hryniw | EMLI |
| Jae Dea Jensen | EMLI |
| Shane Kozoriz | Industry - major mines |
| Phillip Le | Industry - major mines |
| Jonathan Leones | Industry - major mines |
| Chad Lindsey | Labour - United Steelworkers |
| Dean Lott | Labour - United Steelworkers |
| Barry Tracey | EMLI |
The Committee identified Part 10 of the Code as an topic to review. Part 10 includes permitting, geotechnical, reclamation and closure requirements for mine sites.
The Part 10 Sub-committee formed in 2021. The sub-committee is currently working on recommendations from the Audit of Code Requirements for Tailings Storage Facilities published in June 2021. This includes a review of the requirements for tailings storage facilities and dams, which is the first topic in a broader review of Part 10.
This review on tailings storage facilities and dams will consider best practices, standards, and recommendations from other recent reports. The sub-committee will review all aspects of the life cycle of tailings storage facilities and dams.
| Member | Represents |
|---|---|
| Harvey McLeod (Co-chair) |
Industry/EMLI |
| Nalaine Morin (Co-chair) |
Tahltan Nation |
| Charlie Allison | Upper Similkameen Indian Band |
| Chris Anderson | Industry - major mines |
| Kim Bittman | Industry - Association for Mineral Exploration |
| Tamlyn Botel | Citw Nlaka'pamux Assembly |
| Scott Davidson | Industry - major mines |
| Victor Marques | EMLI |
| Dani Miller | Industry - BC Stone, Sand and Gravel Association |
| Heather Narynski | EMLI |
| Mark Smith | EMLI |
The Occupational Health and Safety Sub-committee formed in 2022. This sub-committee will review all occupational health and safety aspects of the Code and is currently developing a work plan for 2022 and 2023.
| Member | Represents |
|---|---|
| Peter Bergholz (Chair) | Industry/EMLI |
| Daniel Crossingham | Industry - major mine |
| Ed Kent | Labour - United Steelworkers |
| Martha Manuel | Indigenous representative |
| Dani Miller | Industry - BC Stone, Sand and Gravel Association |
| Caroline Nakatsuka | EMLI |
| Daniela Pistilli | EMLI |
| Dan Sarkany | Industry - major mine |
| Dave Williams | Labour - Unifor |
| Jack Zhou | Industry - sand and gravel |
The UN Declaration Sub-committee formed in 2022. This sub-committee works to align the Code with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (PDF, 166KB) and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
| Member | Represents |
|---|---|
| Jorge Freitas (Co-chair) | EMLI, Code Review Committee |
| Victor Mitander (Co-chair) | First Nations Energy and Mining Council |
| Charlie Allison | Indigenous Nations (Code Review Committee) |
| Tamlyn Botel | Indigenous Nations (Code Review Committee) |
| Aaron Bruce | First Nations Energy and Mining Council |
| Sue Craig | Industry - Mining Association of BC |
| Sheryl Lightfoot | Independent expert on UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (nominated by First Nations Energy and Mining Council) |
| Julia McKay | Labour - United Steelworkers |
| Dani Miller | Industry - BC Stone, Sand and Gravel Association |
| Kyle Penner | Indigenous Nations (Code Review Committee) |
