Mineral Titles: Reserve Request Process & Forms

Reserve Request Review Process and Forms for New Reserve Requests

Information about Reserves 

• Request for Reserve form (PDF)

Before submitting a request, please read the following:

• Getting started with Reserves
• Mineral Tenure Act: Section 22, Mineral Reserves
• Coal Act: Section 21, Coal land reserves

Reserve Request Submission Requirements

Requests to establish a reserve may be submitted to the Chief Gold Commissioner.

Every request must include a completed Request for Reserve form, maps and/or digital shapefiles, and any available supporting documents listed on the form. The information required will vary depending on the size and complexity of the area in question.

Request for Reserve Form

The information requirements laid out in Request for Reserve form include:

• Contact information
• Reserve request details – type of reserve, suggested site name, rationale for reserve and term length
• Area of interest details – land ownership, identification of the area of interest, size of area of interest in hectares, spatial and overlap information
• Information on First Nations involvement and/or participation in requesting the reserve

Supporting documentation should be attached to the request including:

• Documents identifying the area of interest (maps and/or shapefiles)
• Any documentation to support the request, this may include:
  • Documentation that supports the rationale for reserve
  • Documentation that relates to the intended final land use outcome
  • Legal documentation - this may include permits, licences or agreements
  • Assessments or technical reports
  • Documentation, letters of support from, or correspondence with First Nations or government agencies (municipal, First Nations, provincial, or federal)

Larger reserve requests include requests over areas greater than 250 hectares. Factors influencing the complexity of a request include the location of and intended land use outcome for the area of interest. If the area of interest is very large, a reserve may not be the appropriate tool for preventing registration in that area.

Additional information may be required for larger and/or more complex reserve requests. Following request submission, you may be contacted to provide additional information. Additional information may include:

• Geological data
• Economic information
• More detailed information on the rationale for the reserve
• Records of consultation with First Nations
• Records of engagement with interested parties

The information included on this page is not exhaustive or determinative and the Chief Gold Commissioner ultimately determines what information must be provided as part of a reserve request.

Working with Provincial Government Agencies

Larger and/or more complex reserve requests may have additional information requirements. Working with a provincial government ministry increases the likelihood of submitting a robust request package that fulfill all requirements.

Advice or support from other provincial staff on the applications does not guarantee that a reserve will be established. The Chief Gold Commissioner has sole discretion to decide on reserve establishment.

Submission 

Submit your completed Request for Reserve form (PDF) with maps and/or digital shape files and any supporting documents to: Mineral.Titles.ReserveRequest@gov.bc.ca. Please include a subject line of "Request for Reserve".

There is no recording fee, and a free miner certificate is not required to submit a Request for Reserve form.

Review Process

When a reserve is requested, the Ministry reviews the content and proposed area and determines if additional information is required. The Ministry will reach out if further information is needed to continue advancing the request.

Submitting a request for a reserve does not guarantee that the reserve will be granted. Some factors that may result in the Chief Gold Commissioner choosing not to establish a reserve include mineral potential, the need for multiple land use capability in the area, or another pre-existing use of the land. Upon review, the Chief Gold Commissioner may determine that a different type of reserve is more appropriate based on the information provided.

There is no fixed timeline for processing reserve requests. Each request is reviewed individually, and timelines depend on the quality of the information submitted, the complexity of the request, and staff capacity. Requests developed in collaboration with a provincial ministry may move through the review process more efficiently.

The Chief Gold Commissioner has sole discretion as to whether to establishes a reserve. The Chief Gold Commissioner is not required to provide a requestor with reasons for choosing not to establish a reserve.