Britannia: A Company Town

An hour north of Vancouver on the Whistler highway lies the community of Britannia. Once home to the largest copper mine in the British Commonwealth, Brittania is now almost a ghost town, tarnished by a run-down mine building and a legacy of environmental destruction. Brittania: A Company Town draws upon archival footage and residents' memories to paint an intimate, bittersweet portrait of this once flourishing community. Britannia also takes a tough look at how, more than a quarter century after its closure, the mine continues to empty up to a ton of heavy metals daily into the scenic waters of Howe Sound. The mine owners have declared bankruptcy, and no one seems willing to take responsibility for the disaster. The film follows the drama as the townspeople seek help to clean up the toxic waste. The story of a small town struggling to reinvent itself, this is also a celebration of the people who used to--and still do--call Britannia home.