Seabridge Gold Reports Gitxsan Government Has Called for Meaningful Consultation and Collaboration with Tsetsaut Skii km La Hax
Seabridge faces Indigenous consultation delays that test the KSM project permitting timeline and capital allocation.
The Gitxsan Huwilp Government (GHG) has formally withdrawn its 2013 letter of support for the KSM Project, citing a need for proper consultation with the Tsetsaut Skii km La Ha (TSKLH) nation. This action follows a BC Supreme Court decision on June 8, 2026, which ordered the BC Environmental Assessment Office (BCEAO) to conduct a 90-day consultation with TSKLH regarding whether the KSM Project has been "substantially started."
TSKLH is seeking consultation specifically on the Tailings Management Facility (TMF), which they describe as a "toxic waste dump." Seabridge Gold Inc. (SEA) counters that TSKLH had extensive, fully funded opportunities for consultation during the original environmental assessment, which ended in 2014, and that the current process is not a re-litigation of past decisions. A territorial dispute exists, with TSKLH asserting exclusive rights over the TMF area, while Seabridge notes the area is recognized as traditional territory of the Tahltan Nation and falls within the Nisga'a Final Agreement.
Management maintains that the relationship with GHG is "respectful and good," highlighting $1.4 billion invested to date, including $515 million to Indigenous-affiliated businesses. Seabridge notes TSKLH is "not anti-development" and willing to collaborate.
Seabridge Gold Inc. (SEA) confirmed that recent developments reflect the regulatory friction mandated by the June 8 court ruling, representing an expected procedural step rather than a fundamental project failure. The immediate impact is a delay in the final permitting timeline, as the BCEAO must now process TSKLH's written submissions by September 28, 2026, before reconsidering the "substantially started" designation.
Financially, this extends the path to the targeted H2 2027 feasibility study completion, potentially increasing carrying costs and delaying revenue generation. The withdrawal of the GHG support letter serves as a setback for social license, though management frames it as a necessary legal compliance step. It does not halt ongoing construction or the $100 million summer work program funded by the new credit facility. The market had already priced in the June court order; this release is a follow-up execution of that mandate.
Seabridge Gold Inc. (SEA) is a North American mining company focused on advanced-stage exploration and development. Its flagship asset is the KSM Project in British Columbia, which stands as one of the world's largest undeveloped copper-gold-silver-molybdenum deposits.
The project is in advanced development and permitted status, with early site construction underway for roads, bridges, and power infrastructure. A 2022 Pre-Feasibility Study outlines a 33-year mine life with an initial capital cost of $6.1 billion.
Seabridge holds a 100% interest in the KSM, Bronson Corridor (formerly Iskut), 3 Aces, and Snowstorm projects. The Courageous Lake project was spun out into Valor Gold Corp. in June 2026.