EVR and Nupqu Recognized with Provincial Mine Reclamation Award

EVR and Nupqu Resource Limited Partnership have been recognized for leadership in mine reclamation, receiving the Steelmaking Coal Mine Reclamation Award at the 49th annual BC Mine Reclamation Awards.

Presented by the British Columbia Technical and Research Committee on Reclamation (TRCR), the award recognizes excellence in environmental stewardship and progressive mine reclamation across British Columbia. The awards ceremony was held in Fort St. John On September 23, 2026, as part of the annual BC Mine Reclamation Symposium, a multi-day event that brings together industry, Indigenous partners, government representatives, researchers, and environmental professionals to share knowledge and showcase leading reclamation practices.

The award recognizes EVR's ongoing partnership with Nupqu, a Ktunaxa Nation-owned business, to restore reclaimed mine lands using native plants grown from locally collected wild seed.

As part of the program, Nupqu collects native seed from across the Elk Valley, creating a growing seedbank that supports EVR's reclamation efforts. The seeds are carefully matched to specific reclamation sites to help return native vegetation to its natural habitat while supporting biodiversity and ecosystem restoration.

Each year, more than 60 native plant species are collected, and since 2022, more than eight million seedlings have been planted on reclaimed mine lands throughout the Elk Valley.

Beyond environmental benefits, the collaboration has created economic opportunities for the Ktunaxa Nation while advancing innovative approaches to native seed collection, propagation, and planting. The partnership demonstrates how industry and Indigenous communities can work together to achieve lasting environmental and community outcomes.