Hundreds of new anglers got their feet wet for the first time at British Columbia's provincial parks during 2012. A record number of B.C. families took part in free Learn to Fish programs in provincial parks, which added value to the park visitors' already great experiences.

The B.C. government is introducing a single cutting permit procedure to make it easier for local governments, First Nations and other non-commercial organizations throughout the province to harvest timber from community forests.

The British Columbia agricultural industry will benefit from an investment in two projects to develop energy solutions that will also reduce agricultural waste, announced federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and British Columbia Agriculture Minister Don McRae.

Farmers and ranchers on Agricultural Reserve Land will have more tools to protect their way of life as a result of proposed legislation, increased funding and other measures to improve the operations of the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC), Minister of Agriculture Don McRae and ALC chair Richard Bullock said.

A community forest agreement will diversify the local economy and create more business for the Babine Lake area, Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson announced today at a signing ceremony with the Village of Granisle and the Lake Babine Nation.

B.C. pink salmon is now green after the fishery became the sixth in B.C. to receive Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification as being sustainably managed.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Natural Gas to the Minister of Energy and Mines, Pat Pimm, will identify new economic opportunities from B.C.'s natural gas sector when he consults broadly across the province this summer.

Bill 13, the Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act (No. 2), 2011, was introduced in the legislature today by Attorney General Barry Penner. If passed, the amendments will affect a number of provincial statutes.