In an ever-changing world replete with complex regulatory updates, shifting government policies and social expectations, there is an intrinsic need to take the time to understand key issues of natural resource projects and the necessary steps for good projects to move ahead.
Getting that story right the first time is one of the foundational principles that guide the team at Falkirk Environmental Consultants Ltd.
Established in 2019, Falkirk is a leading Canadian consulting firm focused on helping companies navigate regulatory affairs and permitting surrounding complex areas such as joint federal and provincial environmental assessments, water stewardship, community health and well-being, human environment, operational compliance and sustainability and closure and reclamation planning.
A core part of this work is focused on supporting companies in their work with Indigenous communities by facilitating partnerships, designing and implementing engagement and reconciliation planning strategies and supporting long-term beneficial relationship building.
“We work with the senior management and project teams of our clients to define and implement regulatory and permitting strategies that have the greatest chance of success” explains Michael McPhie, executive chairman and founding partner of Falkirk.
“Our goal is to see good projects developed in a predictable and timely manner that will contribute to the economic and social well-being of the communities in which we work. Being recognized as one of the fastest growing environmental consulting companies in B.C. and Canada has been great too and, I believe, is a validation of the successful approach we have employed.”
Doing it right by doing what’s right
Falkirk was founded to tackle key issues that were not being addressed in the environmental consulting space -– more specifically, delivering projects approvals in a timely and predictable manner, addressing key water stewardship, land use and Indigenous issues related to health, well-being and the opportunity for true engagement by providing a platform for all voices to be heard.
Founding partners Mike McPhie, Jennifer Turner and Max Brownhill — all of whom have more than twenty-five years of experience in resource development projects — looked to assemble a team of leaders in the company’s areas of work. This team includes Christy Smith, who herself has decades of experience in the mining industry and is a member of the K’omoks First Nation on Vancouver Island. She serves as a partner and senior vice president of Falkirk, leading the company’s highly regarded and effective Indigenous Engagement and Human Environment team.
Five years after its inception, Falkirk is now involved in nearly half of all mining operations in B.C., with a team that has grown from a handful of staff to over 50 full-time employees and counting.
Perhaps one of the biggest feathers in Falkirk’s cap is its work on the Cariboo Gold mine project near Wells, B.C. As the owner’s representative responsible for leading the EA team, Falkirk was the first company to navigate newly implemented provincial Environmental Assessment Act while receiving investment and endorsement from local First Nations, regulatory bodies and the public at large.
“Navigating a new assessment process for a major project is not easy, but it was our experience and knowing how to work through the needs of our client and understanding the interests of First Nations, the local community and the obligations and objectives of the government that made it possible” Jennifer Turner, president and founding partner of Falkirk, explains.
“Industry people often speak of major mining projects taking 10 to 15 years to permit. We do not believe that needs to be the case. With the Cariboo Gold Project, the B.C. environmental assessment process from beginning to end was approximately three years, and we consider it a l success that provides a pathway for other proponents we work with.”
Falkirk’s motto is “getting it right, the first time” because that is what they do on their client’s behalf.
To learn more about Falkirk Environmental Consultants Ltd., its projects and services, visit falkirk.ca.
