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Unlocking energy mining and forestry sectors is the path to fiscal stability and funding public services
By Resource Works
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Yesterday, June 1, 2026, I had the privilege of presenting to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services on behalf of Resource Works. Our message was straightforward: British Columbia’s natural resource sectors (energy, mining, and forestry) remain the indispensable foundation for fiscal stability, job creation, and the public services that define our quality of life. As the province prepares its 2027 budget amid persistent deficits and economic headwinds, policy must prioritize unlocking responsible development rather than layering on further constraints.
British Columbians understand the stakes. Resource industries generate tens of billions in exports annually and a substantial share of provincial GDP and revenues. Without them, the math on hospitals, schools, and infrastructure simply does not add up. In my remarks, I highlighted how LNG and natural gas revenues continue to provide critical support, echoing points I made following Budget 2026.
I began by giving credit where due to the current government. Budget 2026 included more than $40 million over three years to streamline permitting, reduce duplication, and address capacity gaps in natural resources and tourism. This built on measurable gains: nearly 35% more mineral exploration permits issued in 2025 versus 2024, and a 35% reduction in timelines for major mine applications since 2019. Forestry received targeted support, including $50 million for Indigenous participation, wildfire equipment, and contractor relief amid tariffs and fibre challenges. These steps acknowledge the sectors’ importance and respond, in part, to longstanding industry concerns.
Resource Works draws on the expertise of organizations like the Business Council of British Columbia (BCBC), Mining Association of BC (MABC), Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), the Association for Mineral Exploration (AME), and the Council of Forest Industries (COFI). Their analyses consistently underscore resources’ outsized role and the need for practical reforms. We share their emphasis on competitiveness, investment attraction, and balancing environmental stewardship with economic reality.
British Columbia holds enormous potential. A portfolio of advanced mining projects could deliver substantial GDP, thousands of jobs, and tax revenues if brought forward efficiently. Industry estimates point to significant upside from even modest increases in resource output.
Shared priorities cut across perspectives. Faster, more predictable permitting; regulatory certainty; competitive fiscal frameworks; and practical reconciliation through economic participation are essential. These themes resonate whether one looks at government actions, industry submissions, or constructive opposition ideas focused on growth and fiscal discipline. The goal is the same: get major projects built responsibly and maximize benefits for all British Columbians.
Challenges remain clear. Expansions of the Provincial Sales Tax to professional services have raised input costs for resource projects. Forestry continues grappling with fibre supply, international tariffs, and operating pressures despite targeted aid. Large deficits and debt servicing costs demand vigilance, even as resource revenues, particularly from LNG and minerals, are projected to grow. Policy stability is crucial to attracting the long-cycle capital these projects require.
In my presentation, I offered five focused recommendations for the 2027 budget:
- Build on permitting progress with fixed timelines, digital tools, and coordinated “one project, one review” processes. Recent gains show what’s possible; accelerating them further will unlock critical minerals, energy, and forestry opportunities.
- Strengthen competitiveness by reviewing royalties, taxes, and regulations to keep B.C. attractive relative to peer jurisdictions, while ensuring fair public returns.
- Invest in people and partnerships, expanding skills training for resource careers and scaling successful Indigenous economic participation models that deliver tangible benefits and self-determination.
- Advance market diversification and infrastructure to counter trade risks, strengthen ports and corridors, and support a clear vision for working forests alongside value-added processing.
- Adopt growth-oriented fiscal policy that protects core services and leverages resource revenues responsibly. Targeted incentives for innovation, processing, and clean technology integration within resource sectors will multiply returns.
These are not abstract ideals. They reflect the pragmatic approach I have advocated across my writing: resources as the engine of shared prosperity, reconciliation advanced through development, and policy grounded in economic reality rather than ideology.
British Columbians from the Northeast to coastal communities see how responsibly developed resources power our homes, fund services, and create pathways for families. LNG facilities, mines, and managed forests exemplify the reconciliation of prosperity and stewardship when done right.
Resource Works remains committed to evidence-based advocacy and collaboration. As the 2027 budget process advances, let us choose confidence in B.C.’s resource advantages. The decisions made now will determine whether we deliver jobs, revenues, and resilience, or deepen vulnerabilities in an uncertain world.
The presentation I delivered yesterday is one contribution to that conversation. I look forward to continued engagement with the committee, government, industry partners, and all British Columbians who understand that our natural endowment is not a burden to manage, but a generational asset to steward wisely.
Margareta Dovgal is the Managing Director of Resource Works.
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