Notice of Work
Notice of Work
- If you have an existing Business BCeID and have used it with Mineral Titles Online (MTO) for staking purposes, and you are a sole proprietor and doing business in your own personal name, then please DO NOT complete the sign-up process with Natural Resource Online Services (NROS). You may continue to use Virtual FrontCounter BC for your Notice of Work applications until further notice.
- If you are a sole proprietor Doing Business As (DBA) with a different name than your personal name, you must complete the sign-up process to submit your applications. If you have any questions, please contact FrontCounter BC staff at 1-877-855-3222.
- If you currently have a Basic BCeID to access Notice of Work applications that were started before December 13, 2018, please create a new Business or Personal BCeID to start any future Notice of Work applications to ensure you have access to all your applications. Please DO NOT request that your Basic BCeID be merged into your Personal BCeID as you will no longer be able to access your applications started before December 13, 2018.
- If you are a non-BC resident, you need to use Virtual FrontCounter BC for your Notice of Work applications until further notice.
- If your organization cannot be registered in BC, you need to use Virtual FrontCounter BC for your Notice of Work applications until further notice.
Contents:
- Overview
- Costs and Responsibilities
- What you need to apply
- What happens after you apply
- Links
- Tips for a successful application
Overview
This application allows you to apply for a Mines Act Permit under the Mines Act, in order to explore and develop the Province's mineral, coal, placer, quarry and aggregate resources.Costs and Responsibilities
Fee
Budget 2015 includes the introduction of permit fees for mines in B.C. These fees will be charged to new and existing applications for major mines, large pits and quarries and very large placer mines. There are no fees for exploration activities. The fees will enable government to assign the proper resources to provide the services needed and ensure a timely permitting model is maintained.
The new fees will NOT be charged for amendments to applications that are merely administrative or clerical in nature.
For Placer applications, the fee will be calculated based on the maximum annual pay dirt that your operation will move in the highest operating year. For large sand and gravel pits and quarries, fees will be calculated based on the maximum annual tonnage extracted in the years being applied for and the number of years that your facility has been operating.
Once the fee amount is calculated on your application, you will have the opportunity to pay the fee using one of the following methods:
- Online via Credit Card(Visa, Visa-Debit, Master Card, American Express)
- Mail Payment Cheque/Money Order - Payable to Minister of Finance
- Cash/Debit - To be paid at one of the FrontCounter BC office locations
Responsibilites
The submission of an application does NOT allow you to commence any mechanized work until such time as A Mines Act Permit is issued.
The Permittee is responsible for the safe operation and maintenance of the mine site in accordance with the Mines Act and the Health, Safety and Reclamation Code for Mines in British Columbia, and any other relevant legislation.
What you need to apply
You will need the following information and documents to fill out the notification:
Information needed
- Your mine number (if you have one)
- Name of the property and location
- Activities to be undertaken (including total disturbed area and total volume of merchantable timber)
- Detailed directions to the site from the nearest municipality
- Information about First Aid
- Description of the proposed Work Program
- Proposed start and end date
- Information about the present state of the land (vegetation, physiography, means of access, old equipment, recreational use, etc.)
- Information about First Nations Engagement
- Description and estimated cost of your reclamation program for each activity
- List of equipment to be used
Documents needed
All applications must include the appropriate maps and applications received without maps will be returned. All maps must be in colour, computer generated, with a scale, north arrow and a detailed legend.
- Location Map - must show the location of the property in relation to the nearest community with the access route from the community to the work site clearly marked;
- Tenure Map - must show the boundaries of the tenure(s) and tenure numbers, at a scale of 1:20,000 or less;
- Map of Proposed Work - must show topography, water courses, existing access, existing disturbance, contour lines, known cultural heritage resources and/or protected heritage property, at a scale of 1:10,000 or 1:5,000. For site specific applications the location of all proposed exploration activities must be shown; for area-based applications the work area must be shown as a polygon, with the location of all proposed exploration activities for year 1 shown, and shape files provided of the area.
- Tenure owner authorization
Additional Documents needed for Sand & Gravel
- Private land owner authorization
- To-scale Mine Development Plan (for Sand & Gravel/Quarry)
- Cross sections (for Sand & Gravel/Quarry)
- Land Title / Crown Land Tenure Map
What happens after you apply
There are a number of steps which will take place before a decision will be made on your application.
- Receiving the application
FrontCounterBC staff will review you application to make sure that it is complete. They will process your payment and any documents you might mail or bring to one of our offices. If more information is required they will contact you. (Please note that an application will not be accepted for adjudication until all required information is received) - Consultations & Referrals
Consultation and referrals may occur if your application impacts the interests of Ministries, Agencies, First Nations, other water users, community groups or other parties. - Review
Once all comments, objections and additional information have been received, a technical review of the application will be completed and a recommendation will be made. - Decision
The Decision will be made by weighing all of the information and you will be informed of the decision.
Links
Tips for a successful application
Follow these tips to make the application process easier:
- Review this guide and have all the information and documents ready before you start filling out the application.
- Use a Personal or Business BCeID for your application. A BCeID allows you to save your application, reopen it and check the status of your application online. You can also view the NR Online Services Application Process video to assist you.
- Utilize the Explore by Location tool to determine if your area of interest is available for your purpose. Other online mapping programs available are FrontCounter BC Discovery Tool; Integrated Land & Resource Registry (ILRR) and ImapBC.
- Contact FrontCounter BC before you begin, to help you with all natural resource applications.