The TRCR has several different types of awards that it gives out on an annual basis.
Jake McDonald Annual Reclamation Award &
Category Reclamation Awards
Under the auspices of the Technical and Research Committee on Reclamation a sub-committee is drawn from the group to decide on the Annual Reclamation Award winners. This typically includes the B.C. Ministry of Energy and Mines, B.C. Ministry of Environment, Mining Association of BC and academia.
The Jake McDonald Annual Reclamation Award has been established to recognize outstanding achievement in mine reclamation in British Columbia. In addition to this award, up to five category awards may be given to recognize merit in mining reclamation.
- 2025_TRCR News Release
- 2025 09 04 TRCR Awards Presentation
- TERMS OF REFERENCE
- PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS
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Greg Sword and Lori Lemke from Fording River Coal, EVR
This award recognizes EVR’s progressive reclamation of the Swift Project at Fording River’s operations. Located near Elkford in southeast BC, the Project set a goal to produce 170 million metric tonnes of steelmaking coal over 25 years. Reclamation activities started in 2020, and today, the Project demonstrates operational excellence in progressive reclamation. A defining aspect of the Project is its use of a bottom-up lift construction method for landform development. This approach has enabled early and safe reclamation that can be done simultaneously with mining. Importantly, Glencore is proposing the Fording River Extension (FRX) Project to extend EVR’s existing Fording River Operations. The FRX Project is anticipated to extend the lifespan of Fording River Operations by approximately 35 years, which is a critical economic engine to southeast British Columbia.
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Lance Dexter from Amrize and TRCR’s Derek Holmes on the right accepting the Sand and Gravel Award
Amrize (formerly Lafarge) scooped the Sand & Gravel Award for its achievement of reclamation through Abbotsford Gravel Sales. The team proposed a collaborative solution with neighbouring landowners and the Agricultural Commission to restore 30 acres of land as well as mining and restoring 85 acres of land. This project demonstrates how the aggregate industry can work collaboratively with agricultural stakeholders to responsibly access essential resources while supporting land stewardship and food production goals.
Tony Milligan Book Award
Tony Milligan was a pioneer in mine reclamation in BC, a founding member of the TRCR and part of the reason Elkview won so many reclamation awards. Tony was also a role model for how to discuss controversial topics in a constructive and respectful manner. Tony passed away a number of years ago, and to honour his memory, the TRCR set up an annual book award to be given each year to the author(s) of the paper at last year’s symposium that best exemplifies Tony’s interests in the practical aspects of reclamation.
- Jacqueline Dube and DJ Formanski of Elk Valley Resources were awarded the Tony Milligan Book Award based on the quality of their paper, ‘An operational approach to geomorphic design in mine reclamation : A case study from Teck Coal Line Creek Operations’, presented at the 2024 symposium.
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Stephanie Najda accepting the book awards from TRCR’s Kelly Dube
- ABOUT THE TONY MILLIGAN BOOK AWARD
- PREVIOUS BOOK AWARD RECIPIENTS
Jake McDonald Memorial Scholarship
To encourage student participation in reclamation-related fields, the BC Technical and Research Committee on Reclamation has students attending to assist with the Symposia (see Student Information) and awards the Jake McDonald Memorial Scholarship, which is given to support a student (or students) in a scientific field related to reclamation. This scholarship was established in honour of Jake McDonald, former Senior Reclamation Inspector in the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources.
- 2025 Jake McDonald Scholarship Awards: During the 2025 awards banquet, the TRCR announced its Jake McDonald Memorial Scholarship recipients. The scholarship recipients are Thompson Rivers University Master of Science students Rabeya Shikdar Orpa and Zhaohui (Sunny) Han.
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Scholarship award winners Rabeya Shikdar Orpa and Zhaohui (Sunny) Han accepting their cheques from TRCR’s Wendy Gardner of TRU
- Student Information
- PREVIOUS SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
