Williams Lake, B.C.- First Nations  are to partner with the Provincial Government to address all aspects of the breach of the Mt. Polley tailings pond breach.

There are several components to a letter of agreement signed today between the Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation and the Williams Lake and Soda Creek Indian Bands.

The letter provides for:

• They will have designates on a committee that will be responsible for overseeing all of the response activities.
• Williams Lake, and the Soda Creek bands will each receive $200 thousand dollars to cover some of the expenses they have already incurred and will incur such as water and sediment sampling and the hiring of technical experts.  Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation John Rustad says the intent is that Imperial Metals will pay for all costs incurred, but it is not clear if Imperial Metals will be on the hook for this $400 thousand dollars.
• Start a new dialogue about existing mining legislation and policies in B.C.
• Agreement that the entities responsible for the breach are responsible for paying for all costs and damages

Chief Beve Sellars of the Soda Creek Indian Band says she cannot say if she would support the reopening of the Mount Polley mine because  no one has the answers to why the  breach happened “We have never said we don’t want mining,  what we want is safe and responsible mining.”

Chief Ann Louie of the Williams Lake Indian Band says the breach has shaken the confidence of all people, not just First Nations,  in  the safety of  mining “We must protect our peoples and our lands in the same fashion that is workable to  benefit all British Columbians  at this time.  We’re not anti-mining, but we have to work harder and smarter than we have, and have to hold the mines and the Province's feet to the fire, because they are responsible.”

The two First Nations and Province agree the top priorities are finding out why the breach happened, ensuring it doesn’t happen again, and that there is rapid movement on remediation plans to protect the environment.