The B.C. Ministry of Jobs and Economic Growth launched a new province-wide mining technology testing initiative on Friday, February 27, 2026, which is expected to include a trial site in Sidney, British Columbia. This program, the sixth testbed under the province’s Integrated Marketplace, will help B.C. technology firms test and scale new equipment and mineral processing tools in real-world environments before they are exported to global markets.
The project is delivered by Innovate BC and matches technology solution providers with large industrial partners. The provincial government is investing up to $41.5 million into the Integrated Marketplace program, with an additional $11.7 million provided by the federal government through PacifiCan.
In the first project under the new testbed, ‘Project Aurora,’ Richmond-based Saltworks Technologies and EMP Metals are working together to refine lithium brines into battery-grade chemicals. While the technology is developed in B.C., this specific partnership is expected to create 18 new jobs and support 24 sustained positions in the province.
The new mining testbed will focus on modern solutions like artificial intelligence, low-emission vehicles, and clean energy for the resource sector. Local residents and businesses in Sidney and across B.C. may see more hiring and contract opportunities as the province works to grow its mining and green energy sectors through its ‘Look West’ economic strategy.
