Series GR-3604 - Legal files relating to mining

The Ministry of Energy and Mines was first established in 1899 under its first name, the Dept. of Mines, by the Department of Mines Act (SBC 1899, c. 48). The department had responsibility for all matters affecting mining, including the collection, publication and circulation of information relating to mining, administration of all mining laws, and the operation and maintenance of the Provincial Assay Office, laboratories, sampling plants, and the maintenance of the Museum of Minerals. The name of the ministry changed several times as a result of the addition of mandates related to petroleum and energy. The ministry was disestablished in 1996 as part of a government-wide reorganization (OIC 197/96). Its duties, powers and functions, other than those related to the Utilities Commission, were transferred to the newly established Ministry of Employment and Investment.

In 1998, mining and energy functions were removed from the Ministry of Employment and Investment and transferred to the newly established Ministry of Energy and Mines. In 2005, this ministry was renamed the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources (OIC 450/2005).

In 2005, the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources was renamed from the Ministry of Energy and Mines (OIC 450/2005).

The ministry was mandated with the responsibility for managing the development of the energy, mining and petroleum resource sectors in British Columbia. The ministry carries out many functions in this area. Ministry responsibilities in the mining sector include releasing permits, conducting inspections, and providing skills training and educational programs. Ministry responsibilities in the area of energy include initiatives to promote new energy technologies, energy conservation, regulatory policy in regard to electrical power generation and transmission. Ministry responsibilities in the area of oil and gas include promotion of the industry, development of royalty policy, and sale and auctioning of oil and gas rights.

In 2010, the ministry was renamed the Ministry of Energy. At this time, some functions were transferred to the new Ministry of Forests, Mines and Lands (OIC 652/2010).

The Ministry of Forests, Mines and Lands was renamed from the Ministry of Forests and Range in October 2010 (OIC 652/2010). At the same time, several functions related to lands from the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, and several functions related to mines from the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources were added to the Ministry of Forests, Mines and Lands. The ministry was responsible for the functions originally performed by the prior ministries including managing the development of the forestry and mining resource sectors in British Columbia.

The ministry was disestablished in March 2011 and its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Energy and Mines and the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources Operations (OIC 62/2011).

In March 2011, the Ministry of Energy and Mines was renamed from the Ministry of Energy when the mining portfolio of the Ministry of Forests, Mines and Lands was added to it (OIC 62/2011).

The ministry was responsible for managing the development of the energy, mining and petroleum resource sectors in British Columbia. Ministry responsibilities in the mining sector include releasing permits, conducting inspections, and providing skills training and educational programs. Ministry responsibilities in the area of energy include initiatives to promote new energy technologies, energy conservation, regulatory policy in regard to electrical power generation and transmission. Ministry responsibilities in the area of oil and gas include promotion of the industry, development of royalty policy, and sale and auctioning of oil and gas rights.

The ministry was renamed as the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas in September 2012 (OIC 594/2012).

The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas was established in 2012 with a change of name from the Ministry of Energy and Mines (OIC 594/2012). The new name reflected an increased importance to the management of natural gas resources.

The ministry was mandated with the responsibility for managing the development of the energy, mining and petroleum resource sectors in British Columbia. Ministry responsibilities in the mining sector include releasing permits, conducting inspections, and providing skills training and educational programs. Ministry responsibilities in the area of energy include initiatives to promote new energy technologies, energy conservation, regulatory policy in regard to electrical power generation and transmission. Ministry responsibilities in the area of oil and gas include promotion of the industry, development of royalty policy, and sale and auctioning of oil and gas rights.

The ministry was renamed the Ministry of Energy and Mines in June 2013 (OIC 233/2013). At this time, functions related to natural gas were transferred to the newly established Ministry of Natural Gas Development.

The Ministry of Energy and Mines was established in 2013 when the name of the former Ministry of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas was changed (OIC 233/2013).

The ministry was mandated with the responsibility for managing the development of the energy, mining and petroleum resource sectors in British Columbia. Ministry responsibilities in the mining sector include releasing permits, conducting inspections, and providing skills training and educational programs. Ministry responsibilities in the area of energy include iniatives to promote new energy technologies, energy conservation, regulatory policy in regard to electrical power generation and transmission. Ministry responsibilities in the area of oil and gas include promotion of the industry, development of royalty policy, and sale and auctioning of oil and gas rights.

The ministry was renamed in July 2017 as the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources (OIC 213/2017).