Undermining the Law : Addressing the Crisis in Compliance with Environmental Mining Laws in BC

Is BC's mining industry complying with the standards and law? How effective is government in ensuring that these standards and laws are enforced? This report takes a close look at the mining industry's record of compliance. It finds that environmental enforcement is generally weak and that our ability to monitor environmental standards is limited and getting worse. If our environmental laws are not enforced, they leave the public with a false sense of security. The causes for this poor enforcement record are found throughout the regulatory regime, from environmental assessment through to decommissioning and mine reclamation. This report makes recommendations for simple, cost-effective measures that would increase environmental protection and improve environmental quality.