Eskay Creek mine to create 1000 construction jobs in B.C.

Key Takeaways:

• Eskay Creek is the first mining project approved under a Section 7 DRIPA agreement, requiring the Tahltan Nation’s free, prior, and informed consent and setting a new precedent for how resource projects are approved in British Columbia.
• The $713-million mine restart is expected to generate roughly 1,000 construction jobs, more than 770 long-term operating jobs, and about $1.19 billion in provincial revenue, including mineral tax revenue shared with the Tahltan Nation.
• The project reinforces strong momentum in B.C.’s mining sector, joining several other large-scale mining investments that have recently reached final investment decision.

The Whole Story:

The Province of B.C. and the Tahltan Nation have jointly approved the reopening of the Eskay Creek gold-silver mine near Stewart under the first-ever Section 7 agreement negotiated under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. The project, owned by Skeena Gold and Silver, is expected to create approximately 1,000 construction jobs and more than 770 operational jobs.

The mine involves a projected capital expenditure of $713 million and is expected to generate approximately $1.19 billion in provincial revenue, the Province said in a news release.

The Eskay Creek project marks a shift in how British Columbia approaches resource development with First Nations. The consent-based Section 7 agreement, signed between Tahltan Central Government and the Province in 2022, required the free, prior and informed consent of the Tahltan Nation for the project to proceed. The Province issued the Environmental Assessment Certificate and the Major Mines Permit on Jan. 26, 2026.

“This is a hugely important day,” Kerry Carlick, president of the Tahltan Central Government, said in the release. “TCG’s decision to consent to the Eskay Creek Project reflects a historic, precedent-setting process that affirms Tahltan Nation’s authority over development in our Territory, recognized by the Province and Skeena Gold + Silver.”

The mine, located in northwestern British Columbia’s Golden Triangle region, is a high-grade volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit that operated as an underground mine from 1994 to 2008. Skeena is redeveloping it as an open-pit operation with a projected 13-year mine life.

Premier David Eby said the project represents one of several major mining investments reaching final investment decision in the province. “With Mount Milligan ($400 million), Highland Valley Copper ($1.5 billion), and Blackwater expansion Phase 3 ($1.4 billion), more than $3 billion in job-creating investment in B.C.’s mining sector has reached final investment decision in just the last month,” Eby said in the release.

The Tahltan Central Government and Province are also entering into a mineral tax revenue-sharing agreement, with the first mineral tax payment available as early as 2027-28. Environmental Management Act permit approvals are also required for the project to proceed, with decisions expected soon.

Chief Marie Quock of the Iskut Band said the consent agreement marks a turning point for decision-making in Tahltan Territory. “By recognizing Tahltan jurisdiction and placing our values at the centre of environmental assessment and permitting processes, this agreement shows what is possible when Indigenous rights and priorities are respected in provincial law,” Quock said in the release.