Members of Save Record Ridge Action Committee honoured
By Rossland Telegraph
Directors of the Save Record Ridge Action Committee (SRRAC) received the City of Rossland’s 2025 Community Contributor award at the December 8, 2025, council meeting.
Melanie Mercier, Nils French, and Elissa Ferguson have spent a huge amount of volunteer time and energy on behalf of Rossland residents and businesses who oppose the proposed open-pit mine that would destroy rare, high-elevation grasslands on Record Ridge.
At the meeting, French spoke for the group, and expressed that the award was a very emotional event for them. In his speech, he said, “sometimes volunteering is about fun, sometimes it’s about giving back, but in this case we all felt called to action on behalf of Rossland. And it’s been a hard road. So it’s affirming to receive this acknowledgment and to know that people support this fight so strongly.”
About the work, he explained that “the time commitment alone is enormous—our evenings, weekends, days off, and more – spent in meetings with our legal counsel or with the various ministries; going over technical documents; organizing events; searching out experts; drafting legal submissions and grant applications; and everything else that has kept this going. And then there is the emotional energy involved. Seeing how wrong some of this is, seeing what is being allowed, what is being ignored, day in and day out, is extremely draining.”
French acknowledged the City’s role: “Our City Council has been doing the right thing throughout this process and we thank you for this: meeting with ministers at UBCM, voicing concerns through the Mine Development Review Committee, sending letters to the Environmental Assessment Office, and making sure the voices of this community are heard.”
He added, “And we thank the many others who have joined this effort: our many volunteers, the businesses that have stepped up, our donors, and at least a dozen organizations that have stood with us or supported us. This is a true community effort.”
Anyone who wants to support the work SRRAC is doing can check this link:
https://www.saverecordridge.ca/support-us
The group provided a new press release to update us all. Here it is:
The Save Record Ridge Action Committee (SRRAC), a community organization representing residents and business owners in the Rossland area, is issuing this advisory to inform the public and stakeholders that several major approvals required for the proposed Record Ridge mine remain outstanding and that the group continues to take active steps within both the regulatory and legal processes.
Although the company, West High Yield Resources, received a Mines Act permit in October, the project still requires additional authorizations relating to water use, waste and effluent discharges, trail relocation, road access, and approvals to clear timber before any construction or operations can begin. Each approval must meet requirements designed to protect environmental and public interests. SRRAC has made formal legal submissions to the ministries outlining why these approvals should not be issued.
Concerns identified by SRRAC include the project’s location within a provincially recognized Old Growth Management Area, effects on downstream water rights, impacts to the world-renowned Seven Summits trail, significant road safety and engineering issues already flagged by the Ministry of Transportation and Transit, and unresolved questions surrounding air and water discharges.
The committee confirms that it has begun meeting with the relevant ministries, and that these discussions have been constructive. SRRAC appreciates the opportunity to ensure that decision-makers are fully informed of community concerns and the legal issues raised.
SRRAC is also in communication with the Washington State Department of Ecology regarding cross-border water concerns associated with the project.
The permit restricts work on the mine to 1 April through 15 November each year. SRRAC also notes that the mine site lies at over 4,500 feet of elevation and snowpacks can persist into June, further limiting access.
“While one permit has been issued, several more remain outstanding,” SRRAC spokesperson Melanie Mercier said in a prepared statement. “Our aim is to ensure the regulatory process remains fair, lawful, and protective of residents, Rossland’s strong tourism economy, and the environment surrounding Record Ridge.”
The City of Rossland is one of British Columbia’s 14 designated Resort Municipalities, with an economy strongly dependent on outdoor recreation and tourism, and it is located just 7 km from the project area.
SRRAC is in the process of setting a date for the hearing of its petition for judicial review of the Environmental Assessment Office’s decision to not require a provincial environmental assessment for the revised project.
SRRAC will also seek judicial review of the Mines Act permit, arguing that it was issued without sufficient baseline data on asbestos, air quality, and water contamination, that expert evidence showing the project is overbuilt was disregarded, and that tourism impacts were not addressed, among other concerns.
