Following the busy camping season, the discovery of ancestral remains in the spring, and an agreement between the Province and the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB), Haynes Point Park closed Oct. 1, 2014, for an archaeological inventory and assessment.

The work of the Conservation Officer Service's Major Investigations Unit has led to the conviction of Neucel Specialty Cellulose Ltd. for illegally discharging waste from their Port Alice pulp mill operation.

B.C.'s Environmental Assessment Office and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency will be jointly holding a 30-day public comment period, and public information sessions, regarding revised information requirements for the proposed Ajax mine.

The latest testing on sediment samples taken by Ministry of Environment staff from the Mount Polley mine site and Hazeltine Creek are consistent with previous sample results.

Environment Minister Mary Polak joined volunteers to help cleanup Iona Beach in Richmond, kicking off the 21st year of the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup.

The latest water samples from Quesnel Lake and Quesnel River are consistent with previous results and Interior Health reaffirms the water located outside the “Do Not Use” area remains safe to drink.

As part of its ongoing commitment to climate leadership and to maintain its carbon neutrality, the Province has issued a procurement call for greenhouse gas (GHG) offsets.

Results from fish tissue collected from Quesnel Lake on Aug. 9 and 10, 2014, are consistent with provincial background data collected from 54 uncontaminated lakes across the province, indicating no health concern.

On Sept.4, 2014, the Mount Polley mining facility was inspected by staff from the Ministry of Environment and was found to be out of compliance with the Environmental Management Act (EMA) because effluent was still discharging from the tailings storage facility into Hazeltine Creek.

The latest water samples from Quesnel Lake and Quesnel River are consistent with previous results and Interior Health reaffirms the water in the area is safe to drink.