Record Ridge Mine: Residents Halt Controversial Magnesium Project in Rossland, BC
Construction on a proposed magnesium mine near Rossland, British Columbia, has been temporarily halted after the B.C. Supreme Court granted an interim injunction to groups opposing the project, according to a court ruling delivered on March 20, 2026.
The injunction was granted to the Save Record Ridge Action Committee Society (SRRACS) and the Sinixt Confederacy, who argued the open-pit mine, owned by Calgary-based West High Yield (WHY) Resources, should require a full environmental assessment. The province’s Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) had previously determined the mine did not necessitate such a review.
The proposed mine is located approximately five kilometres north of the Canada-U.S. Border and 400 kilometres east of Vancouver. Residents and local officials have voiced strong opposition to the project, forming the Save Record Ridge Action Committee (SRRAC) to advocate against its development.
Mélanie Mercier, founder of SRRAC, a retired geologist and environmental restoration horticulturalist, detailed the concerns driving the opposition. “The environmental risks include air pollution with asbestos particles and possibly other metal particles, water pollution, the cutting of old-growth forests, etc. We have a list of 200 items that present major problems for public health,” Mercier stated. “The Environmental Assessment Office had already determined that this project should obtain an environmental assessment, so the question is: how did the company manage to avoid it?”
The SRRAC was formed as a voluntary association in May 2023 and incorporated as a registered society in British Columbia in January 2024. The organization aims to protect the ecological integrity of Record Ridge and surrounding areas through advocacy, public education, and partnerships with community groups, Indigenous organizations, and government agencies. All activities are funded by donations, with any earnings used solely to promote its objectives.
According to an article published March 9, 2026, by Business in Vancouver, the proposed mine is raising concerns about the potential impact on Rossland’s tourism economy. Record Ridge is home to the Holly Fern, a threatened species found only in a few locations across Canada.
The SRRAC is currently urging residents to contact provincial ministers, including Honourable Tamara Davidson, Minister of Environment & Parks ([email protected]), Honourable Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests ([email protected]), and Steve Morissette, MLA for Kootenay-Monashee ([email protected]), to express their concerns.
The Madhu Collective in Rossland is hosting a “Clean Air Community Artist” exhibition this month to raise awareness and funds for clean air initiatives, in partnership with the SRRAC.
The interim injunction pausing construction is scheduled to remain in effect for over a month, as the SRRACS and Sinixt Confederacy pursue a court ruling mandating a full environmental assessment.