---
title: "Kamloops MLAs say Ajax mine is not part of the province's mining push"
description: "Two Conservative MLAs from Kamloops say they do not expect the rejected Ajax copper and gold mine to be revived, even as the incoming government promises faster mining permits."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/bc/provincial-2026/news/kamloops-mlas-ajax-mine-conservative-government-november-2026"
last_updated: "2026-11-07T17:40:20.665Z"
---

Two Conservative MLAs from [Kamloops Centre](/bc/provincial-2026/races/mla/kamloops-centre) and [Kamloops-North Thompson](/bc/provincial-2026/races/mla/kamloops-north-thompson) say they do not expect the Ajax copper and gold mine to be revived under the incoming Conservative government, even though premier-designate Lorne Doerkson has pledged to speed up mining permits across BC.

Castanet Kamloops reported on November 5 that [Peter Milobar](/bc/provincial-2026/candidates/peter-milobar), MLA for Kamloops Centre, said he has not heard anything about Ajax being "even remotely considered" and believes the project would face a long road before securing the approvals it would need.

"Supercharging the economy isn't a mine project that took 10 years to get a no," Milobar told Castanet.

[Ward Stamer](/bc/provincial-2026/candidates/ward-stamer), MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson, was also cautious. He said he has no position on Ajax and would have to wait and see whether the project is ever brought forward again, adding that other mining proposals appear better placed to move ahead.

"I'm sure there's other projects in the province that would certainly be greenlit a lot quicker than even a suggestion of Ajax proposal," Stamer told Castanet.

## Why Ajax is different

The Ajax mine was proposed as an open-pit copper and gold operation on a property south of Aberdeen, in Kamloops. Provincial and federal regulators rejected it in 2017 after environmental reviews, with the mine's proximity to residential neighbourhoods and schools cited as a major factor in the decision.

The project was revived by KGHM, a Polish mining company, and Abacus Mining and Exploration in 2020. It remains listed on KGHM's website as being in the planning and analysis phase. The Ajax Mining Company's share capital was increased by $4.5 million in June 2026, according to Castanet. KGHM's 2025 activities report says work last year focused on environmental monitoring and developing a restoration concept for historic mining facilities at the site.

Stamer told Castanet that faster approvals should not come at the cost of environmental protections. "We are not going to be backing off on standards just to try to try to make a quick buck. That is not on the table," he said.

## What was promised

The Conservative Party of BC's 2026 platform, on page 16, includes a promise to make BC the fastest place in North America to permit a mine or LNG plant, with a public report on progress each year. The same page promises to work with First Nations and industry to move new mines and major projects from proposal to decision faster, with clear standards and timelines. You can see both promises in the tracker at [/bc/provincial-2026/tracker#gov-promise-fastest-mine-lng-permits](/bc/provincial-2026/tracker#gov-promise-fastest-mine-lng-permits) and [/bc/provincial-2026/tracker#gov-promise-major-projects-faster-decisions](/bc/provincial-2026/tracker#gov-promise-major-projects-faster-decisions).

Milobar told Castanet the focus is likely to be on mining proposals already working through regulatory processes, rather than ones previously rejected.

For the full picture of which mining and resource promises the incoming government has made, visit the [promise tracker](/bc/provincial-2026/tracker).

## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](/bc/provincial-2026/sitemap.md) for all pages.