Mining and Aboriginal Communities
Pierre Grattan, president and C&O of the Mining Association of BC recently gave a speech at the BC Natural Resources Forum. In the speech, Mr. Grattan highlights a number of things that can be done by industry, Aboriginal communities and governments in order to forge a stronger and healthier working relationship in this sector. See the entire speech.

BC Hydro Revises Standing Offer Program (SOP)
Following a two year review of the Standing Offer Program (SOP), BC Hydro has revised the SOP in key areas related to eligibility, pricing, interconnections, EPA terms and the general SOP process.

The SOP, launched in 2008 was intended to encourage the development of small and clean or renewable energy projects throughout British Columbia. The SOP pricing has been increased between 14% and 29%, depending upon the location of the project. BC Hydro estimates that the new pricing will attract a cumulative total of approximately 1,000 gigawatt hours (GWh) per year of energy over two years under the SOP. BC Hydro currently has approximately 190 GWh/year of energy under contract from the SOP. See the full article as posted by the Climate Change Law Practice Group of Davis LLP.

Softwood Lumber Dispute Heats Up Over Salvage Timber
The softwood lumber dispute is the longest-running and most significant dispute in the otherwise peaceful relationship between Canada and the United States. At issue this time is the way the province prices timber killed by the mountain pine beetle. The U.S. alleges that sawmills are using timber that has been classified as Grade 4 salvage timber and getting a sizable amount of lumber out of the log, more than should be the case. It doesn't matter how the companies have done it, if they are getting a better yield of lumber out of the log, then it is obviously not a salvage log in the first place. See the full story as posted by the Vancouver Sun.

$1.2-Million Program Will Boost First Nations Forestry
$1.2 million in federal-provincial funding for the First Nations Forest Sector Technical Support Program will help First Nations with economic development in the forest and wood products industries, it was recently announced. The Technical Support Program will help First Nations groups develop new and existing forest-related businesses. See the news release.

Zero Net Deforestation – Draft Discussion Paper
The BC Ministry of Forests, Mines and Lands has recently released its draft Proposed (Zero Net Deforestation) Implementation Plan which provides objectives, guiding principles and actions to meet the Province's goal of zero net deforestation (ZND) by 2015. While the draft is meant to be for discussion purposes only, it is expected to provide the basis of an implementation plan which is expected to be developed by the spring of 2011. The Plan is the next step in the Province's process for implementing the objectives of the Zero Net Deforestation Act which achieved Royal Assent on June 3rd 2010 but has not yet come into force. The Act defines deforestation, provides for reporting on net deforestation and allows for regulations establishing: the timing, form and content of reports and records; scientifically-based methodology for calculating deforestation and afforestation and other matters. See the draft plan.