Digging Deep: More Political Support for Geoscience BC Needed | Sep. 2024

Geoscience BC’s independent public research informs decisions about critical minerals and metals, cleaner energy, carbon management and water in British Columbia. We manage and co-fund independent geoscience research in collaboration with members and partners from industries, governments, communities and Indigenous groups.

Alongside contributions from other partners, research funding from the Province of British Columbia is an essential part of Geoscience BC’s funding model. As a non-partisan independent society, Geoscience BC has submitted the same request to all political parties in preparation for the election scheduled for October 19, 2024. You can view an edited (we changed some appendices to relevant links) version of the request below.

We encourage members and other supporters to send letters of support to candidates (a suggested draft letter can be downloaded below) and to repost and comment on our social media posts on LinkedIn and X.

Download Letter Template

Recommendation

That the following statement of support for Geoscience BC is included in 2024 Provincial General Election political party platforms

Context

Geoscience BC is a not-for-profit society managing and co-funding independent geoscience research in collaboration with members and partners from industries, governments, communities and Indigenous groups in British Columbia. Our public research informs decisions about critical minerals and metals, cleaner energy, carbon management and water.
Since its inception in 2005, Geoscience BC has invested an average of $5 million annually and successfully completed over 235 research projects that demonstrate:
- Every $1 invested by Geoscience BC in minerals research results in an estimated $7 of mineral exploration investment. To date, Geoscience BC has invested $40 million in minerals research and found Geoscience BC referenced in approximately $365 million in private sector investment reported in the BC Assessment Report Indexing System to 2022.
- Geoscience BC’s research has informed Fort Nelson First Nation decision to invest in it’s >$40 million Tu Deh-Kah Geothermal project; and Meager Creek Development Corporation’s proposed $200 million geothermal and green hydrogen production project near Pemberton.
- Geoscience BC research has informed >$50 million industry investment in water infrastructure in Northeast BC.
- Averaged over 19 years, ~80% of Geoscience BC funding goes directly into project research and ~20% to supporting strong governance, community engagement and public research access.

Geoscience BC seeks to further formalize its relationship with the Province of British Columbia to allow wider collaboration beyond previous agreements with the BC Geological Survey’s focus on mineral resources.
Geoscience BC has developed example critical minerals, cleaner energy, water and carbon management Project Concepts with partners, members and technical and Indigenous advisors. Indigenous groups are offering support and private sector companies continue to state their commitment to fund future research that will meet initial needs for independent geoscience research to inform natural resource decisions in BC. Examples of our Project Concepts can be found here.
Examples of recent research updates can be found on our news page and in our Annual Report.

Considerations

Geoscience BC’s dynamic approach reflects the evolving independent public geoscience research priorities of governments, industry, communities, Indigenous groups and others. Recent examples include research into critical minerals and metals opportunities at tailings and waste rock sites; mapping concentrations of lithium in brines, geological carbon storage, geothermal energy, low carbon intensity natural gas, and understanding water from Traditional Knowledge perspectives.
Geoscience BC’s agility has transformed its funding and operating model (see Digging Deep: Geoscience BC Evolution, Net-Zero Emissions and Partner Alignment - Geoscience BC). From 2005 to 2019, a significant majority of its funding was from the Province. It continues to diversify funding sources and has successfully leveraged Province funding to secure funding and in-kind contributions from corporations, academia, economic development trusts, industry associations, First Nations and the federal government.

- The launch of new Geoscience BC membership classes in 2022 has created new opportunities for members to provide input on new research; to share research results more effectively; and to attract additional support from Corporate, Individual, Student and Associate (e.g. communities, industry associations and Indigenous groups) members. At fiscal 2023/24 year-end, Geoscience BC had 198 registered members.
- In 2023, Geoscience BC created an Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Advisory Council. This council is helping to guide Indigenous input and engagement requirements on new research projects; and augments a strong governance model that includes Geoscience BC’s volunteer Technical Advisory Committees - Geoscience BC and a volunteer Board of Directors - Geoscience BC

Geoscience BC has built strong collaboration and support with diverse partners, including:
- Consistent recommendations from the BC Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services’ reports on BC budget consultations (e.g., Budget 2024 Consultation Recommendation 36: “Sufficiently fund and prioritize the implementation of a critical minerals strategy… including funding for geological research through Geoscience BC and other organizations”);
- Supportive multi-year resolutions from the Union of BC Municipalities Resolution (2022) and the BC Chamber of Commerce (2021); and
- Multi-year memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with governments and industry associations (e.g. Natural Resources Canada (NRCan’s) Geological Survey of Canada and the Canadian Hydrogen Association.