BC Gov News

As an outcome of productive negotiations, B.C. and Blueberry River First Nations have reached an agreement that adjourns litigation until April 29, 2019, and outlines a path to address Blueberry River’s concerns about the effects of resource development in its territory.

Commitments in the agreement include:

Fort St. John Land and Resource Management Plan

B.C. has committed to undertake a process to update and amend the Fort St. John Land and Resource Management Plan, in collaboration with Blueberry River First Nations and other interested Treaty 8 First Nations.

The amendment process will include engagement with local communities, industry, stakeholders and the general public. The process will start with an exercise with interested parties to determine the scope of amendments, but will include, at a minimum:

• Establishment of new protected areas within Blueberry River First Nations territory, including proposals for the expansion for the Pink Mountain protected area and a new protected area near Dancing Grounds;
• Establishment of an ecosystem-based management approach to land and resource management. An ecosystem-based management approach seeks to ensure the co-existence of healthy ecosystems and human activities, and will be developed during the amendment scoping process;
• Measures to support caribou recovery;
• Measures to protect and restore important cultural and traditional-use areas for Blueberry River First Nations.

The amendment process will also be integrated with other processes that are underway, and will identify goals and objectives for community and economic development, taking into account long-term stability, certainty for economic development and the meaningful exercise of Treaty 8 rights.

Consultation

The BC Oil and Gas Commission, and the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, are working with Blueberry River First Nations to jointly develop robust consultation processes for resource development applications that are clear, efficient and effective in meeting both B.C.’s and Blueberry River First Nations’ interests.

The Province is also working to create an overarching committee with resource ministries and Blueberry River First Nations to monitor the implementation of the adjournment agreement. The committee will also provide a forum to discuss strategic and policy issues related to land use and proposed resource development in Blueberry River’s territory.  

Wildlife

The Province will undertake a number of actions, including:

• Moose population inventories, in collaboration with Blueberry River and other Treaty 8 First Nations, including making management recommendations, taking into consideration the results from those inventories, as well as First Nations traditional knowledge with respect to moose;
• A predator control program to support caribou recovery in the Pink Mountain and Chinchaga areas;
• Identifying appropriate areas with Blueberry River First Nations for a controlled burn program to improve wildlife habitat.

Restoration

The Province will provide $3.5 million to support work to undertake the environmental restoration of priority locations identified by Blueberry River First Nations. This includes restoring abandoned and decommissioned oil and gas sites, and reclaiming unused corridors, such as old roads and seismic lines.

Other actions

Blueberry River First Nations and appropriate provincial ministries and agencies will work collaboratively on a suite of other actions, including addressing the use of herbicides, fencing in relation to oil and gas sites, and initiatives to improve approaches to timber salvage and waste-wood operations within Blueberry River’s territory.