Core Business Areas

The Ministry's core business areas by resource and service function are as follows:

1. Oil and Gas

British Columbia's oil and gas sector is a major economic force in the heartlands, generating significant economic activity each year and employing thousands of British Columbians. In 2002/03, oil and gas royalty and bonus bid revenues contributed $1.5 Billion or seven per cent of total provincial revenue and 46 per cent of total natural resource revenue to the provincial Treasury.

To sustain and enhance the oil and gas revenue and wealth generation in the province, the Ministry is focused on making British Columbia the most competitive oil and gas jurisdiction in North America. In broad terms, this is being accomplished by improving access to oil and gas resources, nurturing development opportunities within oil and gas unconventional resources, such as coalbed gas, and facilitating expansion of exploration and development into new, as yet untapped basins in areas of the province outside of the northeast producing region.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Selling and administering petroleum and natural gas rights;
• Facilitating infrastructure development to improve access to oil and gas resources;
• Undertaking economic and financial analysis to develop royalty and other policies and programs;
• Identifying, stimulating and facilitating development opportunities for conventional, unconventional and under-explored resources located throughout the Province, including coalbed gas, deep gas and tight gas;
• Providing information to the public on oil and gas resources and development potential;
• Streamlining provincial regulations that apply to the oil and gas sector;
• Representing the Province's interests before energy regulatory tribunals; and
• Developing and maintaining petroleum geology databases to identify new energy opportunities and provide information for industry reference.

Offshore Oil and Gas Team

Policy Action #11 of the Province's energy plan, "Energy for Our Future: A Plan for BC" called for the establishment of a stand-alone team dedicated to development of British Columbia's offshore oil and gas resources. The British Columbia Offshore Oil and Gas Team was established in January, 2003. The Team is headed by a Deputy Minister reporting to the Minister of Energy and Mines. Although a separate entity, the Team is administratively linked to the Ministry of Energy and Mines, therefore it is incorporated into the Ministry Service Plan. Details can be viewed on the Team's website www.offshoreoilandgas.gov.bc.ca.

2. Mining and Minerals

The mining sector is a key part of the provincial economy, providing high-paying jobs, tax revenues and economic development throughout British Columbia's heartlands. Vancouver is a world-class mining center of excellence that is home to the full range of mining expertise, including geologists, engineers, lawyers and financial experts, as well as the head office location for several major mining companies.

The Ministry facilitates wealth generation opportunities in the mining sector provided by the Province's substantial mineral resource endowment by supporting development and ensuring responsible management of the Province's substantial coal, metal, industrial mineral and aggregate resources.

The Ministry develops and implements an integrated mineral exploration and mining policy framework designed to attract exploration and mining investment to the Province. It also protects the health and safety of persons employed in the industry and the general public, protects and ensures the reclamation of land and watercourses, and provides a sound regulatory regime for all mining activities.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Promoting and acting as an advocate for a responsible mining industry;
• Issuing and administering mineral exploration and mining tenures;
• Permitting of exploration and mining operations;
• Enforcing protection of the environment and the health and safety of workers and the public through all stages of mine development, from exploration, development, production, reclamation to long-term post closure activities;
• Reviewing and developing legislation, regulations, policies and best management practices to guide industry activities;
• Providing a sound policy and regulatory framework to protect the public interest while maintaining a responsible and competitive regulatory framework relative to other jurisdictions;
• Providing information to the public on mineral resources and development potential;
• Developing and delivering modern, competitive geoscience databases and MapPlace;
• Working in partnership with industry to collect and publish mineral geoscience information;
• Providing assistance and advice to prospectors and exploration companies; and
• Undertaking economic and financial analysis to create new measures to enhance British Columbia's exploration and mining investment attractiveness.

The British Columbia Mining Task Force will provide recommendations to the Minister of Energy and Mines on how to revitalize the mining industry in British Columbia.

3. Electricity and Alternative Energy

The Ministry leads the Province's development of legislation, policies and programs to support all forms of electrical power generation, alternative energy sources, energy conservation and efficiency measures, and leading edge technologies.

A current priority of the Ministry with respect to electricity and alternative energy is to implement the related policy actions of "Energy for our Future: A Plan for BC" (The Energy Plan). The four cornerstones of the Energy Plan are:

1. low electricity prices and public ownership of BC Hydro;

2. a secure, reliable supply of energy;

3. more private sector opportunities; and

4. environmental responsibility.

The Ministry oversees the statutory framework for BC Hydro to benefit British Columbians in their dual role as BC Hydro ratepayers and shareholders. In addition to legislation and regulatory instruments, the Ministry provides policy advice or direction to electric utilities in the province and the regulator, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC).

The Ministry also follows electricity market developments in other jurisdictions to assess implications for the Province. The Ministry participates in various inter-provincial, national and international groups to represent provincial interests and to work cooperatively to facilitate enhanced reliability and trade opportunities in Western electricity markets.

The Ministry fosters private sector investment in new electricity resources, both on the supply and demand side, and participates in resource planning, project review and rate review processes. It provides resource information and support for independent power producers, including those investing in emerging resources such as wind and small hydro.

The Ministry also manages, assesses and represents provincial interests on Columbia River Treaty-related matters, including:

1. Columbia River Treaty oversight through the Permanent Engineering Board and the Engineering Committee; and

2. monitoring and managing agreements related to the Columbia River Treaty Downstream Power Benefits.

The Ministry leads or participates in cross-government initiatives, including formulation and implementation of programs and policies to address climate change, water use planning, hydrogen and fuel cell initiatives, energy performance measures for buildings, streamlining and updating the Energy Efficiency Act, and the development of a broader provincial strategy for energy efficiency and the role of alternative energy.

4. Executive and Support Services

These areas support the Minister's and Deputy Minister's offices, as well as providing corporate support and services to the Ministry's key lines of business. These services include executive operations, external relations, intergovernmental relations, aboriginal and community relations, strategic human resources, correspondence, corporate policy, strategic planning, legislation, performance tracking and data collection.

The Ministry provides advice and coordination to energy and mineral industry proponents, as well as liaison and negotiation capabilities with aboriginal and non-aboriginal communities concerning resource development activities and local issues and concerns.

A key and growing part of this core business area is external relations, which implements a strategy for communicating to potential local and international investors the improved competitiveness of British Columbia-based energy and minerals opportunities. This strategy focuses on making investors aware of policy and regulatory improvements, as well as directly promoting increased capital flows towards exploration and development activities in the province.

In order to market British Columbia as a reliable, competitive supplier of energy and a mining center of excellence, the Ministry is active in regional, international and intergovernmental policy and information forums on energy and mining-related topics, such as the Pacific Northwest Economic Region, the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, the Vancouver Mineral Exploration Round-up and bilateral meetings with neighbouring provinces and states.

Management Services functions, including budget, financial services, response to requests made pursuant to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and records management, are provided on a shared basis with the Ministry of Competition, Science and Enterprise.