A new FrontCounter BC office will help enable job creation on Haida Gwaii by providing easier access to provincial government services.

The new office, known as FrontCounter Haida Gwaii, in the Village of Queen Charlotte is the eighth FrontCounter BC office to open this year, and the final of 28 official openings since the FrontCounter BC program was launched in January 2005. The expansion of FrontCounter BC is a key part of the Province's integrated approach to the natural resource sector and provides residents and businesses on Haida Gwaii a local office to conduct their natural resource business.

This office is unique as it is also home to the Solutions Table and the Haida Gwaii Management Council. The Solutions Table allows for shared decision-making between the Province and the Haida Nation, as they consider land and natural resource applications and make recommendations to their respective decision makers.

The opening also supports the 'Canada Starts Here: BC Jobs Plan' by providing easier access to government services that will help to enable quicker job creation and support regional economic development in the natural resource sectors.

FrontCounter BC is a single-window service for clients of the natural resource sector. FrontCounter BC was created in 2005 with eight locations, a dedicated call centre and online applications.

Quotes:

Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson -

"FrontCounter BC embodies the vision of this ministry - it's client-centred and regionally-based. By bringing government services into communities like Queen Charlotte, we're supporting economic development in B.C."

Carol Kulesha, Mayor of Queen Charlotte -

"This is a milestone for Haida Gwaii - our people will no longer have to make a trip off the island to get professional and personalized service. This new office allows decisions to be made here at a local level and keeps business on Haida Gwaii."

Guujaaw - President of the Haida Nation -

"This is one more positive step in building relationships between the Haida Nation and the Province of B.C. It provides access to a new way of doing business and a decision-making process that considers the well-being of the land and the needs of the business community."

Quick Facts:

• FrontCounter BC offers more than 130 natural resource-related permits and authorizations at each location.
• FrontCounter BC provides services on behalf of 16 additional partner agencies.
• Since Jan. 1, 2005, over 47,000 authorizations have been processed.
• The FrontCounter BC call centre handles more than 21,400 inquiries annually.

Learn More:

The BC Jobs Plan: http://www.bcjobsplan.ca/

Find a FrontCounter near you: http://www.frontcounterbc.gov.bc.ca/contact/locations.html

FrontCounter BC: http://www.frontcounterbc.gov.bc.ca/

Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations: http://www.gov.bc.ca/for/index.html

A backgrounder follows.

Contact:

Brennan Clarke
Media Relations
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
250-356-5261

BACKGROUNDER

April 19, 2012 Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations

Council of the Haida Nation

Haida Gwaii decision-making council

In June 2010, the B.C. government enacted the Haida Gwaii Reconciliation Act, which commits the Province to engage in joint decision-making with the Haida Gwaii through the Haida Gwaii Management Council as envisioned in the Kunst'aa guu'Kunst'aayah Reconciliation Protocol.

The Haida Gwaii Management Council has the authority to make high-level decisions in key strategic areas for resource management on Haida Gwaii, such as implementing the Haida Gwaii Strategic Land-Use Agreement, land-use objectives for forest practices, determination of the allowable annual cut for Haida Gwaii, conservation of heritage sites and approval of management plans for protected areas.

On April 4, the council set a new allowable annual cut for commercial timber harvesting on all of Haida Gwaii of 929,000 cubic metres.

The Haida Gwaii Management Council consists of two representatives appointed by the provincial government, two assigned by the Haida Nation and a neutral chair agreed to by both parties. Representatives are appointed for terms of approximately two years.

The high-level strategic decisions made by the Haida Gwaii Management Council also provide direction to a Solutions Table, which is responsible for technical and operational matters. The Solutions Table reviews land and natural resource applications and collects the information necessary to support further decision making. After receiving the input of the Solutions Table, the appropriate decision makers can then make a decision on the relevant application.

Decisions of the Haida Gwaii Management Council are by consensus, or if consensus cannot be reached, the chair will cast the deciding vote.

Haida Gwaii Management Council members consider Haida, provincial, federal, constitutional and the common law, including aboriginal and administrative law when conducting the decision making process and coming to a consensus.

Where appropriate, or required, stakeholder engagement is included in the Haida Gwaii Management Council's decision making process. The Haida Gwaii Management Council members and chair are open and transparent in making their decisions and providing their reasons, and all council records will be posted on their website.

Contact:

Brennan Clarke, Media Relations
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
250-356-5261