Tsilhqot'in Nation seeking court injunction against drilling permit

A long-running legalbattle over a mining project near William's Lakein B.C's southern Interiorcontinues in court today.

TheTsilhqot'in Nationis seeking an injunctionfrom theB.C. Court of Appeal against a drilling permit issued to Taseko Mines Ltd.

Taseko's proposed New Prosperity Mine, located 125 kilometres southwest of Williams Lake was approved for development by the provincial government in 2010 and issued a drilling permit in 2017 for the company to collect geotechnical information.

The Tsilhqot'in Nation is trying to protect Fish Lake calledTeztanBiny in Tsilhqot'inwhich they say will be harmed by the project.

On March 1, the B.C. Court of Appeal issued a judgment recognizing the Teztan Biny area as an active cultural school for the Tsilhqot'in, a resting place for ancestors, a site for spiritual and ceremonial activities and "a place of unique and special significance for the Tsilhqot'in cultural identity and heritage."

But the court gave permission for the project to move ahead despite that recognition.

Aninjunction couldhalt the projectwhile the Tsilhqot'inapplies to the Supreme Court of Canada for leave to appeal the March 1judgement.

The Federal Governmenthas already rejectedthe project proposal twice in 2010 and 2014. Both times, the mine wasrejected, in part, because of its impact onTsilhqot'inrights and the risk it poses tofish and fish habitats.

According to a statement from theTsilhqot'in Nation,Teztan Binyis one of the province's most productive wild trout lakes.

Taseko has been trying to build theproject for decades. The company began proposing the project to the federal and provincial governments in 1995.

With files from The Canadian Press