The provincial government has taken further steps to streamline compliance and enforcement activities within British Columbia's natural resource sector.

Effective immediately, administrative changes to the way that the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations' Compliance and Enforcement Branch works with the Environmental Assessment Office will increase co-operation between the two agencies and allow the ministry's Natural Resource Officers to more easily conduct site inspections and investigations.

Specifically, the Compliance and Enforcement Branch's Natural Resource Officers are now authorized to enter and inspect any development project that is subject to review under the Environmental Assessment Act.

By authorizing inspections of reviewable projects by either Natural Resource Officers or Environmental Assessment Office compliance and enforcement staff, the move gives staff more operational flexibility, uses government resources more effectively, and provides for continuation of the existing harmonization of compliance and enforcement across the natural resource sector.

Quotes:

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

"This change is part of an ongoing effort to more closely align legislation and the work that various government agencies do to regulate activity in the natural resource sector. It is another example of how my ministry is streamlining procedures to give our staff increased flexibility to do their jobs more effectively."

Minister of Environment Mary Polak -

"Increased co-operation between ministries and agencies helps everyone do their jobs efficiently and make the best possible use of government resources to ensure that B.C.'s environment is being protected."

Quick Facts:

• The Compliance and Enforcement Branch is the law enforcement arm of the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. Its primary goals are to ensure that B.C.'s resource management laws are being followed and take action on any instances of non-compliance. The branch enforces 46 different resource management laws and regulations.
• The Environmental Assessment Office evaluates proposed projects that are reviewable under the Environmental Assessment Act for potential adverse environmental, economic, social, heritage and health effects that may occur during the life of the project, and verifies and enforces compliance with the conditions of environmental assessment certificates.

Learn More:

Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations' Compliance and Enforcement Branch: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hen/

Environmental Assessment Office compliance program: http://www.eao.gov.bc.ca/compliance.html

Environmental Assessment Act: http://www.bclaws.ca/Recon/document/ID/freeside/00_02043_01

Media Contact:

Brennan Clarke
Public Affairs Officer
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
250 356-5261