BC Critical Minerals Forum Set for April 2026

Vancouver, BC — January 13, 2026 — Leads & Copy — Energy and Mines has announced the BC Critical Minerals Forum, scheduled for April 14–15 at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre. The forum will convene government officials, mining executives, First Nations leaders, and finance experts to discuss strategies for advancing British Columbia’s critical minerals sector.

According to Adrienne Baker, Director, Energy and Mines, the forum aims to bring together key decision-makers, including First Nations leaders, mining CEOs, finance experts, and federal and provincial government representatives, to shape capital, infrastructure, and approvals for critical minerals projects in British Columbia.

The agenda includes senior government leaders responsible for Canada’s critical minerals strategy, defense supply chains, investment, and permitting. Confirmed speakers include Isabella Chan, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Natural Resources Canada; Wendy Hadwen, Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy-Industry, Department of National Defence; Kendra Johnston, Assistant Deputy Minister, Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals, Government of British Columbia; Yannick Beaudoin, President and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Growth Fund Investment Management; and Divya Shah, Managing Director, Canada Infrastructure Bank.

Additional speakers include over 40 senior experts in mining, First Nations affairs, and investment, such as Crystal Smith, Former Chief Councillor, Haisla Nation; John Mullally, Head of External Relations, Newmont North America; Brian Kynoch, President, Imperial Metals; Ryan Hoel, President and Chief Operating Officer, Seabridge Gold; M Colin Joudrie, President and Chief Executive Officer, Selkirk Copper; Raman Randawa, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Capstone Copper; Michael Gray, Partner, Agentis Capital; Martin Turenne, President and Chief Executive Officer, FPX Nickel; Sam Lee, President and Chief Executive Officer, NorthIsle Copper and Gold; Chad Ulansky, President and Chief Executive Officer, Cantex; Anthony Huston, Chief Executive Officer, Graphite One; Mark Tory, President and Chief Executive Officer, Defense Metals; Chris Grove, President and Chief Executive Officer, Capacitor Metals; April Hayward, Chief Sustainability Officer, Li-FT; Claudia Tornquist, President and Chief Executive Officer, Kodiak Copper; Sven List, Senior Vice President, Export Development Canada; Muhammad Imran, Vice President, Saskatchewan Research Council; Andy Robinson, Chief Executive Officer, Nisga’a Lisims Government; Charles Morven, Secretary-Treasurer, Nisga’a Nation; Todd den Engelsen, Chief Executive Officer, Tahltan Nation Development Corporation; Connor Pritty, Lands and Regulatory Affairs Director, Tahltan Central Government; Sean Magee, Vice President, Taseko Mines; Andrea Ross, Manager, Galore Creek Mining Corporation; Paul Blom, Chief Operating Officer, BC First Nations Energy and Mining Council; Booker Cornea, Associate Vice President, First Nations Bank of Canada; Annie Sismanian, Chief Financial Officer, Canada Indigenous Loan Guarantee Corporation; Monica Moretto, Vice President, Pan American Silver; Lisa Davis, Chief Executive Officer, PearTree Securities; Kody Penner, Vice President, Nations Royalty; Keith Anderson, Senior Vice President, BC Hydro; Michael Goehring, President and Chief Executive Officer, Mining Association of British Columbia; Tim McEwan, Senior Vice President, Mining Association of British Columbia; Todd Stone, President and Chief Executive Officer, Association for Mineral Exploration BC; Brittney Kerr, Founding Partner, Framepoint Public Affairs; Roger Harris, Partner, Harris Palmer; Byng Giraud, President, Sedgwick Strategies; Sharon Singh, Partner, McMillan; and Stuart McNish, Host, ConversationsLIVE.

The BC Critical Minerals Forum will address federal and provincial strategies for accelerating permitting and approvals, Indigenous-led equity, infrastructure and governance models, and financing and de-risking early-stage critical minerals projects. Discussions will also cover energy and transmission infrastructure for the Golden Triangle and Northwest BC, midstream processing and value-added supply chains, offtake agreements, defense demand, G7 buyer strategies, and global investment and policy lessons for BC.

Contact:
Adrienne Baker
Director, Energy and Mines
adrienne.baker@energyandmines.com

Source: Energy and Mines