https://thenarwhal.ca Deep Dives, Cold Facts, & Pointed Commentary en-US Copyright 2026 The Narwhal hourly 1 https://thenarwhal.ca/bc-mines-landslide-climate-risk/ Thu, 26 Aug 2021 16:05:57 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=33735 During the Pacific Northwest heat dome, five million tonnes of rock and ice fell from the Canoe Glacier, just eight kilometres from the Brucejack gold mine where 600 people were at work that day. The impacts of climate change are bringing both new risks and new opportunities to B.C.'s mining boom Christopher Pollon In-Depth B.C. climate change mining Photo: Garth Lenz / The Narwhal https://thenarwhal.ca/border-imaginary-line-why-americans-fighting-mining-doughnut-hole/ Wed, 08 Jan 2020 20:00:54 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=16128 Logging permits in the Skagit River headwaters will no longer be issued by the B.C. government but mining exploration is causing friction with Americans downstream. We travelled the river to meet the people fighting an Imperial Metals permit Christopher Pollon On the ground Donut Hole Doughnut Hole forestry Indigenous logging Manning Park mining Skagit River transboundary rivers water Paul Berntsen Manning Park Doughnut Hole https://thenarwhal.ca/how-corporations-still-get-away-with-secret-lobbying-in-b-c/ Tue, 12 Nov 2019 21:54:20 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=15090 A full year after the province claimed it would make B.C. the ‘most transparent lobbying regime in Canada,’ major loopholes remain — leaving secret, unregistered lobbying completely legal Christopher Pollon In-Depth Corporate Influence Democracy lobbying David Eby BC Lobbying https://thenarwhal.ca/the-jade-hunters-on-tahltan-land/ Sat, 26 Oct 2019 17:30:01 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=14739 Popularized in reality TV shows like Jade Fever, amateur and independent miners have been flocking to northwest B.C. in search of the precious green stone that’s being dug up on mountain sides and riverbeds at an increasing pace. And while operators come armed with permits from the province, the Tahltan Nation is evicting miners who do not have permission to operate on unceded traditional territory under Indigenous law Christopher Pollon In-Depth environmental law Indigenous Indigenous protected areas Indigenous Rights land use plan mining protected areas Tahltan Central Government Tahltan First Nation UNDRIP Chad Day chopper jade Tahltan territory https://thenarwhal.ca/death-by-thousand-cuts-comic/ Sat, 17 Aug 2019 16:29:05 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=12892 A story of hope and resilience from the Dane-zaa people living in what is now known as northeastern British Columbia Christopher Pollon In-Depth Blueberry River First Nations comic fracking Indigenous https://thenarwhal.ca/on-the-front-lines-of-b-c-oil-spill-surveillance/ Sat, 03 Aug 2019 16:17:13 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=13210 In 2018 alone, Transport Canada's Pacific aerial surveillance program reported 550 oil spills — yet only two fines were levied. We went up in the sky to learn more about the art of detecting an oil spill Christopher Pollon Video National Aerial Surveillance Program oil spills Trans Mountain Pipeline Transport Canada https://thenarwhal.ca/five-years-mount-polley-disaster-taxpayers-hook-cleaning-up-mining-accidents/ Tue, 30 Jul 2019 15:39:51 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=13117 B.C. is supposed to have a polluter-pay policy, but that’s not the reality on the ground according to experts Christopher Pollon News Corporate Influence financial assurance Imperial Metals mining Mount Polley Mine Mount Polley mine disaster Reclamation Red Chris Mine Tailings Pond https://thenarwhal.ca/why-is-b-c-home-to-more-mining-exploration-companies-than-anywhere-else-on-earth/ Tue, 28 May 2019 20:38:48 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=11809 Most mining exploration companies have no producing assets or revenue streams, but generous B.C. tax breaks and other perks draw them in disproportionately high numbers Christopher Pollon In-Depth Corporate Influence mining subsidies Tailings dam at the Red Chris mine https://thenarwhal.ca/stung-by-derailed-negotiations-with-b-c-blueberry-river-first-nations-return-to-court/ Fri, 24 May 2019 14:00:49 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=11747 Three-quarters of the nation's territory lies within 250 metres of an industrial disturbance. A potentially precedent-setting court case on this 'death by a thousand cuts' could disrupt B.C.'s multi-billion dollar natural gas industry Christopher Pollon News Blueberry River First Nations fracking Indigenous LNG Canada natural gas Chief Marvin Yahey https://thenarwhal.ca/b-c-s-archaic-mining-laws-urgently-need-update-30-groups/ Wed, 15 May 2019 22:55:54 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=11617 Reforms required to address ‘ticking time bomb’ of abandoned mines and protect taxpayers from millions in liabilities, authors of new report say Christopher Pollon News environmental law mining Mount Polley mine disaster Calvin Sandborn https://thenarwhal.ca/b-cs-last-great-herring-fishery/ Wed, 27 Mar 2019 20:44:43 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=10635 The Georgia Strait is home to one of the few remaining industrial herring fisheries on the Pacific coast of North America. It's now the frontline in a battle to protect this oft-overlooked species from becoming slurry to feed pets and farmed salmon Christopher Pollon On the ground herring Oceans salmon wildlife