Agenda for BC Critical Minerals

How do BC’s critical minerals contribute to Canada’s broader national and economic security goals, and how does this align with federal priorities?
What role can BC play in securing resilient supply chains for Canada and its allies, particularly in the face of global competition and foreign market dominance?
How does BC’s strategy for First Nations partnerships, ESG leadership, and infrastructure align with Canada’s national security and defence industrial priorities?
What mechanisms are needed to accelerate BC’s role in Canada’s critical minerals strategy?
Looking ahead, how can BC’s critical minerals sector ensure it is embedded in Canada’s evolving defence industrial policy and contributes directly to North American security of supply?

Chair: Roopa Davé, Partner, National Leader for Sustainability Services, KPMG

John Mullally, Head of External Relations, Newmont North America

Wendy Hadwen, Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy-Industry,

Department of National Defence

Michael Goehring, President & CEO, Mining Association of BC

Isabella Chan, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Natural Resources Canada

What are the biggest opportunities for BC to position itself as a global supplier of critical minerals, and what barriers must be overcome to realize them?
What are the key challenges miners are facing in the region around permitting, financing, and development timelines?
What should the government’s role be in supporting the viability of these projects?
What infrastructure investments—roads, energy, processing capacity—are most urgent to unlock critical mineral development in BC’s Northwest and beyond?
With shifting trade dynamics, tariffs, and buyer expectations, how can BC ensure its critical minerals remain competitive and attractive to global markets?

Chair: Brittney Kerr, Founding Partner, Framepoint Public Affairs

Charles Morven, Secretary-Treasurer, Nisga’a Nation

Brian Kynoch, President, Imperial Metals

Michael Gray, Partner, Agentis Capital

Brock Gill, Senior Vice President, Operations, North America, Teck

A Representative, Invicta Metals

Northwest British Columbia’s Golden Triangle—home to 75% of Canada’s undeveloped copper potential—has become the focal point for critical-minerals development in BC and across Canada. With Indigenous Nations leading in ownership and governance, the region’s progress depends on expanded and reliable energy infrastructure. This session will provide updates on key developments in transmission, Indigenous partnerships, and mine readiness that are critical to unlocking the Northwest’s potential—where new electricity infrastructure will provide the project certainty needed for more than 15 critical-mineral and precious-metal projects to move forward.New Paragraph

Mining in the Northwest: Key Challenges and Opportunities

Lessons from navigating through regulatory approvals, environmental reviews, and evolving Indigenous consultation requirements
Why access to port, power, and transportation corridors is central to unlocking critical minerals opportunities in Northwest BC.
Working with First Nations and government to align on shared benefits, advance reconciliation, and build the certainty needed for long-term investment

Ryan Hoel, President and COO, Seabridge Gold

Panel: Indigenous-Led Infrastructure in the Northwest

The recent acquisition of Stewart Bulk Terminals by the Nisga’a and Tahltan Nations, in partnership with Arrow, marks a transformative moment for BC’s Golden Triangle. Now rebranded as Portland Canal Holdings, this Indigenous-owned port is poised to expand capacity, provide investor certainty, and position Northwest BC as a critical minerals export hub built on Indigenous leadership, collaboration, and stewardship. This panel will explore how Indigenous leadership in infrastructure ownership is reshaping value chains, providing investor certainty, and positioning Northwest BC as a critical minerals export hub.

How does Indigenous ownership of Stewart Bulk Terminals change the dynamics of certainty, investment, and governance for projects in the Golden Triangle?
With capacity expansion from 50% to 75%, what role will the port play in unlocking mine development and securing BC’s position in global critical minerals markets?
How are Indigenous-led environmental assessment processes under modern treaties providing a model for responsible development and regulatory clarity?
What is needed to ensure collaboration across Indigenous governments, miners, and provincial/federal stakeholders to maximize the value of this strategic asset?
What can other regions learn from this acquisition about building sustainable, long-term infrastructure partnerships between Indigenous Nations, industry, and government?

Chair: Roger Harris, Partner, Harris Palmer

Andy Robinson, Chief Executive Officer, Nisga'a Lisims Government

Todd den Engelsen, Chief Executive Officer,

Tahltan Nation Development Corporation

John Mullally, Head of External Relations, Newmont North America

How are consent-based agreements reshaping the pace and structure of projects in BC?
What ownership and financing structures best balance Indigenous priorities with capital market needs?
What opportunities exist for Nations to lead or co-own enabling infrastructure such as roads, power, and processing capacity?
What does this shift mean for global investors comparing BC’s critical minerals sector with other jurisdictions, and how can BC position itself as the most competitive option?
How are Indigenous-led land use frameworks influencing ecological, cultural, and economic decision-making?
What practical steps have proven effective in moving from decades of conflict to durable partnerships?

Chair: Byng Giraud, President, Sedgwick Strategies

Kody Penner, VP Corporate Development, Nations Royalty

Sean Magee, Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Taseko Mines

Valerie Helbronner, Partner, Torys

Dolleen Logan, Chief, Lheidli T’enneh First Nation

Booker Cornea, Associate Vice President Market and Shareholder Engagement, First Nations Bank of Canada

Attracting Investment for BC’s Critical Minerals

Attracting the capital needed to advance BC’s critical minerals projects requires certainty on permitting, infrastructure, and long-term demand. This panel will explore how regulatory clarity, infrastructure investment, and offtake agreements can unlock financing and improve project bankability in BC’s critical minerals sector. This conversation will be streamed live on the ConversationsLIVE website and the Vancouver Sun, with replay and podcast options available afterwards.

Where are investors currently directing capital in critical minerals, and how does BC compare to other jurisdictions?
How can permitting clarity and “one project, one process” approaches reduce investor risk and improve timelines?
What role are federal and provincial funds (CMIF, Critical Minerals Sovereign Fund, CIB, provincial infrastructure programs etc.) play in catalyzing private capital?
How important are offtake agreements with downstream buyers (EV, battery, defence) in unlocking debt and equity financing?
What additional infrastructure — from roads to midstream processing — is most critical to making BC projects bankable?
What role are G7 arrangements, including the emerging G7 buyers club, expected to play in shaping demand and offtake opportunities for BC projects in the absence of a formal U.S.–Canada critical minerals partnership?

Chair: Stuart McNish, Host, ConversationsLIVE

Divya Shah, Managing Director, Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB)

Ashley Glen, Director of Structured and Project Finance,

Export Development Canada (EDC)

Lisa Davis, CEO, PearTree Securities

Martin Turenne, President and CEO, FPX Nickel

Fireside Chat: Indigenous Consent and the Future of Critical Minerals in BC

Where do current approaches to Indigenous consent fall short, and what needs to change for critical minerals projects to earn real legitimacy and trust?
Who needs to be “at the table” from the very beginning for development to be ethical, lawful, and economically viable?
What distinguishes partnerships that genuinely accelerate projects from those that end up creating more friction and delay?
What would it take for BC to become a global example of how Indigenous governance and critical minerals development can succeed together?

Chair: Kody Penner, VP Corporate Development, Nations Royalty

Linda Innes, Elected Chief Councillor, Gitxaała Nation

Panel: Key Developments in Project Permitting and Approvals

Predictable, well-resourced permitting processes are essential to unlocking investment and building trust among Indigenous partners and mining proponents. This discussion will explore key developments in federal and provincial permitting reforms to accelerate permitting and approvals with insights from government, project leaders, and Indigenous partners.

What are the most pressing permitting and approvals challenges facing BC’s critical minerals projects today, and how do they impact investment and timelines?
How effectively are permitting reforms balancing streamlined approvals with meaningful Indigenous consultation?
How are governments improving coordination to avoid duplication in Indigenous consultation and reduce engagement fatigue?
What reforms or new approaches are needed to differentiate between major amendments and smaller operational approvals to improve efficiency?
What resources, policies, or partnerships are required to give miners, investors, and First Nations confidence that permitting can keep pace with global demand for critical minerals?

Chair: Tim McEwan, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs,

Mining Association of British Columbia

Kendra Johnston, Assistant Deputy Minister, Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals, Government of British Columbia

Andrea Ross, Manager, Indigenous and Regulatory Affairs,

Galore Creek Mining Corporation

Sharon Singh, Partner, Environment/Indigenous, McMillan

Connor Pritty, Lands & Regulatory Affairs Director, Tahltan Central Government

Opportunities and Challenges for BC’s Junior Critical Minerals Miners

Junior miners are central to advancing BC’s critical minerals sector, yet they continue to face challenges in raising capital, securing approvals, and achieving fair valuations. This panel will explore the financial, regulatory, and partnership approaches needed to advance projects from exploration through to development

What are the most critical funding gaps across exploration, development, and processing for juniors — and how can they be closed?
What specific financing and market models from other jurisdictions could be adapted to BC’s context?
How do permitting timelines and approval processes affect juniors, and what would support project success?
What opportunities do junior miners see for partnering with First Nations on infrastructure and project development, and how could these partnerships create certainty and attract investment?
What role should provincial and federal funds play in helping juniors accelerate critical minerals projects?

Chair: Todd Stone, President and CEO, Association for Mineral Exploration BC (AME)

Nicholas Van Dyk, EVP, CFO & Corporate Secretary, Northisle Copper and Gold

Chad Ulansky, President & Chief Executive Officer, Cantex

Mark Tory, President & CEO, Defense Metals

Claudia Tornquist, President and CEO, Kodiak Copper

International Perspectives: Building a Competitive Critical Minerals Sector in BC

This panel brings together international experts to explore how critical minerals strategies are being implemented around the world—and how those experiences can help guide BC’s approach. From investment models to policy frameworks, Indigenous engagement to infrastructure planning, this session will focus on the most transferable lessons for BC miners, policy makers, and project developers.

How are critical minerals strategies evolving in key mining markets, and what major shifts are shaping the landscape for miners, offtakers, investors, Indigenous communities, and governments?
What policy tools or public-private models have proven most effective in scaling critical minerals supply chains and attracting long-term investment?
What common bottlenecks—such as permitting, infrastructure, or ESG frameworks—are you seeing, and how are they being addressed?
What are the key lessons or cautionary tales that BC should consider as it builds a globally competitive and inclusive critical minerals sector?

Raman Randhawa, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer,

Capstone Copper

Anthony Huston, CEO, Graphite One

Monica Moretto, Vice President of Sustainability, Pan American Silver and Board Member, Lithium Argentina

Tom Whelan, Senior Vice President and CFO, Coeur Mining

Vick Singh, COO, Dragonfly Energy

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AGENDA DAY 1, APRIL 10

AGENDA Day 2: April 15, 2026

Organized by: Energy and Mines | contact: events@energyandmines.com