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The Fording River Extension (FRX) Project has entered a new phase of public review, with the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) and B.C.’s Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) holding a joint public comment period on draft documents that describe how the environmental assessment will be carried out.
This stage of the process invites public input on the proposed scope and timelines of the assessment, the information and studies required from the proponent, and how governments, Indigenous Nations, and the public will participate as the review moves forward. Comments are being accepted from January 14 to February 15, 2026, and only need to be submitted once to be considered by both agencies.
For the Elk Valley, the review reflects an ongoing and practical conversation about how mining — an established and necessary part of the regional economy — continues alongside improving environmental management and long-term watershed protection.
Why the project matters locally
Proposed by Elk Valley Resources (EVR), the FRX Project would extend the lifespan of the existing Fording River Operations by an estimated 35 years.
EVR says the extension would sustain approximately 1,500 existing jobs at the operation and support thousands more direct, indirect, and induced jobs across the Elk Valley. In communities such as Fernie, Sparwood, Elkford, and Cranbrook, mining remains a major employer and a key contributor to municipal tax bases, community infrastructure, and local businesses.
For many families, contractors, and service providers, the proposed extension represents long-term employment certainty in a region where economic alternatives at similar scale are limited.
Water quality progress often missing from the debate
Environmental impacts — particularly selenium contamination — remain central to public concern. However, EVR says it is important that current discussions reflect not only historic impacts, but also the progress being made under the Elk Valley Water Quality Plan (EVWQP).
The EVWQP is a long-term, science-based program launched in 2014, after selenium was identified as a significant water quality issue associated with mining in the Elk Valley. The plan focuses on reducing selenium and nitrate concentrations through advanced water treatment, extensive monitoring, and adaptive management.
At a community open house on November 26, 2024, EVR reported that its four existing water treatment facilities are removing between 95% and 99% of selenium from treated water.
“Our four existing water treatment facilities are successfully removing between 95% and 99% of selenium from treated water,” said Colin Miller, Program Director for Water Quality and Projects, Sustainable Development at EVR. “The plan is working; selenium concentrations have stabilized and are now reducing downstream of treatment.”
EVR has also stated it plans to build six additional water treatment facilities by 2027, expanding capacity as part of the ongoing implementation of the water quality plan.
Opposition voices and continuing concerns
Environmental advocacy groups, including Wildsight, argue that mine expansion should not proceed while selenium concentrations in parts of the watershed continue to exceed provincial aquatic health guidelines. They point to historic exceedances, large volumes of waste rock, and past enforcement actions as reasons for opposing the project.
Wildsight representatives have framed the public comment period as an opportunity for residents to push for stronger environmental protections and question whether further mining should be approved before water quality concerns are fully resolved.
Indigenous perspectives are also part of the public record. In October 2025, the Ktunaxa Nation stated it did not endorse the project advancing at that stage of the process, citing concerns related to water quality compliance and reclamation progress. Indigenous consultation and accommodation are formal components of the assessment process and will continue throughout the review.
A conversation shaped by trade-offs
The FRX review does not ask the public to decide whether mining is “good” or “bad,” but rather how — and under what conditions — a major industrial activity continues in a region that depends on it economically while living with its environmental legacy.
For supporters, the project represents jobs, economic stability, and continued investment in mitigation and treatment. For critics, it raises questions about cumulative impacts, long-term accountability, and whether existing problems have been sufficiently addressed.
The joint public comment period offers a structured forum for those perspectives to be heard before regulators finalize how the environmental assessment will proceed.
Residents can learn more about the project, attend upcoming information sessions in Sparwood (January 28) and Fernie (January 29), or participate online on January 22, and submit comments through the provincial or federal engagement portals.
CLICK HERE to submit feedback on the Fording River Expansion
