Imperial Metals is hoping to strike gold in the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Region, but Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation and several allies are calling on the B.C. government to rescind the company’s permit to drill for the yellow metal.
Clayoquot Sound is located within the unceded traditional territory of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation (TFN) on the west coast of Vancouver Island. The small tourist town of Tofino serves as a gateway to the biosphere region and welcomes over 600,000 visitors annually.
The permits related to gold mining in Clayoquot Sound were first issued in 2013. The recently re-issued permits expire in February 2031 and include 22 drill sites, three helipads and six trenches.
“First Nations rights and title are not just an aspiration, they must be honoured and respected, and this decision by the government of British Columbia totally goes against that,” said Chief Councillor Elmer Frank, in a March 4 media release.
“We call on the province to rescind these permits and properly and respectfully engage with Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation Ha’wiih as the titleholders in our territory,” said Frank.
Clayoquot Sound encompasses the Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks, an expanse of land with critical habitat and ancient trees that defenders have protected from industrial logging and mining for decades. It was officially designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Region in January 2000.
Tla-o-qui-aht manager of lands and resources Saya Masso said the last correspondence they sent to the Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals clearly stated that the nation does not consent to mineral exploration in the Tribal Park.
“This is not an impact we supported in a watershed that we are investing in rebuilding the river and recovering it from logging, not being a gold mine to further impact our fisheries and clean water,” said Masso.
“The ministry is incapable of hearing no. (Mineral exploration) may make sense in other parts of B.C. or in other watersheds, but it does not work here. We clearly said no for many years talking to B.C. about this,” he said.
Imperial Metals is currently facing 15 charges under the federal Fisheries Act in relation to the tailings pond breach at the Mount Polley Mine on August 4, 2014. The mine is located in B.C.’s interior Cariboo region and the traditional territory of Xat’sull First Nation.
According to the B.C. government, the Mount Polley tailings embankment breach resulted in the loss of about 17 million cubic meters of water and 8 million cubic meters of tailings/materials into Polley Lake, Hazeltine Creek and Quesnel Lake with significant impact.
Research shows the cumulative effects of the Mount Polley disaster had a direct impact on the aquatic food chain, even several years after the initial breach.
“Tla-o-qui-aht is very clear about the vision for our Ha-oothlee (traditional territory) of Tla-o-qui-aht Ha’wiih (Hereditary Chiefs), which is watersheds of abundance. Mining just goes against that and negatively impacts too many of our interests,” said Masso.
Tla-o-qui-aht is looking at pursuing “any option in the toolkit” including raising awareness of the infringement at the United Nations, according to Masso.
In a written statement, the Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals said they approved a mineral exploration permit for Imperial Metals following an “extensive, consensus-seeking review process which included consultation with the Tla-o-qui-aht and the ʕaḥuusʔatḥ (Ahousaht).”
“Ultimately, the province was not able to reach consensus on all the issues raised,” said the ministry.
Any future proposals to expand the project beyond the permitted exploration work would be subject to a new decision under the Mines Act, says the ministry.
The ministry stated that permit conditions addressed some of the key concerns that were raised through consultation, including: water‑use restrictions on Tranquil Creek, archaeological and cultural‑heritage protections, accommodation of hunting and harvesting, protection of any identified spiritual‑bathing sites, requirements for a ʕaḥuusʔatḥ environmental monitor, and measures to avoid disturbance in identified old‑growth areas.
“We remain committed to strong environmental oversight, safe mining practices and ongoing engagement with First Nations and partners,” said the ministry.
Torrance Coste, associate director for the Wilderness Committee, said it is “absolutely shameful” for the B.C. government to approve mineral exploration permits in a Tribal Park against the wishes of Tla-o-qui-aht.
“The BC NDP is choosing the interests of mining corporations over rights and title, and that’s unacceptable for any government, let alone one that claims to care about reconciliation,” said Coste in a joint press release issued by the Clayoquot Sound Conservation Alliance (CSCA).
Brian Kynoch is the president of Vancouver-based Imperial Metals.
“This is about exploring to see whether it’s worth building a mine there,” Kynoch told the Ha-Shilth-Sa over the phone. “We have a permit. We haven’t said we are going to do it. We will go work with First Nations. We have been meeting with them for years.”
“It’s exploration. It’s not a mine,” Kynoch continued. “The neat thing about this mine is it’s a narrow vein gold mine. It would most likely be underground and you would probably not have to build a mill. It would be more like a quarry than a normal mine.”
There was no fee attached to Imperial Metals “straight-forward” mineral exploration application, according to the ministry.
In January 2026, Western Canada’s provinces and territories signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), which aims to “unlock Canada’s potential as a global leader in critical minerals.” Gold is currently not identified as a critical mineral on official provincial or federal lists.
Fandora property overlaps territory lines
The gold vein in Clayoquot Sound is located at the Tranquil Creek watershed northeast of Tofino and is historically known as the Fandora property. It was discovered in the 1930’s and explored on surface by hand trenching, according to government records.
A portion of the Fandora work area overlaps territory lines with the neighbouring First Nation of Ahousaht.
“Ahousaht acknowledges and respects the concerns raised by the Tla-o-qui-aht Ḥa’wiiḥ regarding mineral exploration within their territory and affirms their authority as rights and title holders to determine what activities are acceptable within their lands,” said Ahousaht Ḥaw̓ iih (hereditary) representative Tyson Atleo in a written statement.
“Each Nation holds distinct laws, governance systems, and responsibilities to their lands and people, and those authorities must be recognized and upheld,” said Atleo.
Atleo says Ahousaht was consulted and are “actively engaged” with the Fandora project and the province regarding the permit renewals for Imperial Metals.
“This engagement reflects our customary and professional responsibilities to assess potential impacts, apply Ahousaht law and governance, and ensure decisions protect culturally and environmentally significant areas while supporting long-term community wellbeing,” said Atleo.
Imperial Metals also holds permits for the exploration of copper deposits on Catface Mountain, or Chetarpe in Nuu-chah-nulth language, which resides in Ahousaht territory, about 13-kilometres northwest of Tofino and in the heart of the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Region.
Atleo said Catface is a “culturally significant” area and that Ahousaht has worked collaboratively with the Imperial Metals and the government to address concerns and safeguard the land.
Imperial Metals has already conducted some baseline work at Fandora, such as collecting soil samples, according to Kynoch.
“Diamond drilling is the next step,” he said.
Kynoch went on to note that the Imperial Metals “remains committed to engaging respectfully with First Nations and local communities as the project moves forward.”
Tla-o-qui-aht says they will monitor the Fandora site for commencement of work related to the permits.
