FPX Nickel starts public comment period for Baptiste

Executive Summary

• FPX Nickel Corp. has initiated the first of four public comment periods for the federal and provincial environmental assessment (EA) of its Baptiste nickel project in British Columbia.
• The public comment period, managed jointly by the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) and the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC), runs until March 9, 2026.
• This follows the acceptance of the initial project description by regulators in January 2026 and includes scheduled in-person and virtual information sessions for public engagement.

Key Details

• Public Comment Period: Open from the date of the announcement until 11:59 p.m. PST on March 9, 2026.
• Regulatory Process: This is the first of four public comment periods in the EA process. The initial project description was accepted by federal and provincial governments in January 2026.
• Information Sessions:
  • In-Person Open House: Fort St. James community hall (190 Stuart Dr. East, Fort St. James, B.C.) on February 18, 2026, from 2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. PT.
  • Virtual Information Session: February 24, 2026, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. PT.
• Project Status: The Baptiste project was identified in 2024 by the Province of British Columbia as the first project included in the Critical Minerals Office (CMO) concierge service initiative to prioritize critical mineral projects.
• Project Characteristics:
  • Located in central British Columbia, west of Middle River and north of Trembleur Lake.
  • Covers 453 square kilometres of mineral claims.
  • Features a large-scale greenfield discovery of awaruite (Ni3Fe), a sulphur-free nickel-iron mineral.
  • Potential for low-carbon production due to lack of sulphur and connectivity to the BC Hydro grid; requires no intermediate smelting or complex refining.
  • Awaruite mineralization confirmed at target areas including the Van target (6 km north of the Baptiste deposit).
• Exploration Spend: Approximately $55 million (U.S.) spent on exploration and development since 2010.

Notable Quotes

• Martin Turenne, President and CEO: "Collaboration is one of FPX's core values and in the years leading up to entering the EA process, we have been engaging the public and first nations communities to better understand their interests and perspectives in the Baptiste project area. This work has informed the initial project description that was submitted to regulators, for which public feedback is now being sought. This initial public comment period is an extension our engagement, and we look forward to hearing more valuable feedback as the process advances."
• Nigel Fisher, VP, Environment: "We are at the start of a comprehensive, transparent and rigorous environmental assessment process that provides us with further opportunity to work together to design an even better project. Each step in the regulatory process informs the next, and hearing community interests supports the process and how the project will be designed and operated."