The B.C. Government has drafted a plan to protect caribou herds around the province.
Forest Minister Doug Donaldson today announced two draft agreements between the provincial and federal governments to protect caribou.
Donaldson says consultation will happen this spring in northern, central and eastern areas of B.C. with a goal of signing those agreements by this summer.
“And I can’t emphasize enough that these draft agreements are historic in Canada, that are aimed to protect an iconic species at risk that has seen drastic population declines. These agreements include tangible measures that are rooted in the best available science and traditional knowledge.”
Chief of the West Moberly First Nation near Chetwynd Roland Wilson says this plan is needed because of a lack of action from the Liberal government in their most recent 16 years in power.
“If they would’ve done what they were supposed to do, which is issued the (Species At Risk Act) and issue responsible developments, we wouldn’t find ourselves in this situation.”
In the Peace Region, the population of Central Group of Caribou has dropped nearly 75 per cent in the past 15 years. In one of those agreements, the province and feds plan to implement a restriction on resource operations in northeast B.C., on high-elevation mountain ranges west of Chetwynd and Tumbler Ridge.
Meanwhile, the BC Liberal environment critic says he’s concerned with the short consultation window on the draft plan to protect caribou.
Kamloops-North MLA Peter Milobar says he thinks the province’s engagement with Indigenous communities has been good, but says similar opportunities haven’t been given to any other stakeholders.
“The worry is how they’ll bring it in and whether they’ll bother listening to anybody or not. And at this stage, from what we heard this morning, it sounds like their minds are already made up and the next five weeks is going to be nothing but an exercise in checking off the boxes saying that they talked to people,” he says.
Milobar says the issue at hand isn’t about whether or not protective measures are needed for caribou but rather it’s whether all stakeholders will agree on a plan going forward.
Forest Minister Doug Donaldson announces draft agreements b/w the province, feds and First Nations for protecting dwindling caribou habitats in B.C. That includes restricting resource operations in several mountain ranges in the Peace Region (areas in light blue). @RadioNLNews pic.twitter.com/8H9cEneqI1
— Colton Davies (@ColtonDavies_) March 21, 2019
For this draft agreement, the province says it will be consulting with the public this spring in areas outlined below where caribou are present. A decision on the agreement is expected in the summer, and the Feds would contribute $5.35M over 3 years for the plan. #bcpoli pic.twitter.com/21pGUcuMRm
— Colton Davies (@ColtonDavies_) March 21, 2019
