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Vol: VI  –   Issue: VI  –   June 2013

ENVIROFOR NEWS:

Bills Introduced
The summer session has seen two government Bills introduced as of the release of this Reporter. These include:

A Member's Bill, Fall Fixed Election Amendment Act, 2013 (Bill M201), has also received first reading.

Updated BC Budget Calls for $130M in Spending Cuts
BC Finance Minister Mike de Jong tabled a budget calling for $130 million in cuts to provincial spending over the next three years, in part to make up for lower than expected economic growth. Ministries are being asked to find $30 million in savings this year, and a core review of all government spending is aiming to find an additional $50 million in spending reductions and efficiencies in each of the next two years. “We are putting ministries on notice that across government we are looking for $30 million in savings this fiscal year,” said de Jong. "In order to achieve the objective of balancing the budget it is going to require discipline and vigilance from everyone," he said. "The next 12 to 18 months are going to be tough, they’re going to be tough, but the long term prospects are good.” Read the full CBC article. 

FEDERAL LEGISLATION — For notification of federal amendments, we recommend you use our RSS feed.
[ Previous Reporters ]

ENERGY AND MINES NEWS

Ministry of Natural Gas Development and Revised Service Plan
The Ministry of Natural Gas Development’s Revised 2013/14 – 2015/16 Service Plan was prepared under the direction of Minister Rich Coleman in accordance with the Budget Transparency and Accountability Act and can be viewed here. 

ENERGY AND MINES
Act or Regulation Affected Effective Date Amendment Information
Consultation and Notification Regulation (279/2010) June 3/13 by Reg 56/2013
Environmental Protection and Management Regulation (200/2010) June 3/13 by Reg 136/2013
Greenhouse Gas Reduction (Renewable and Low Carbon Fuel Requirements) Act July 1/13 by 2012 Bill 41, c. 18, sections 15 to 28 only (in force by Reg 335/2012), Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act (No. 2), 2012
Oil and Gas Road Regulation (56/2013) NEW
June 3/13		 see Reg 56/2013
Prescribed Roads Regulation (8/2011) REPEALED
June 3/13		 by Reg 56/2013
Renewable and Low Carbon Fuel Requirements Regulation (394/2008) July 1/13 by Reg 335/2012
FORESTRY AND ENVIRONMENT NEWS

Forest Act Amendments
A recently introduced Budget Measures Implementation Act, 2013 proposes some changes to the Forest Act, most of which affect Part 12, Reviews, Appeals, Regulations, Penalties. The majority of these amendments are of a consequential nature; however, sections 142.42 and 142.43 will be added when this Bill achieves Royal Assent. The intent behind these sections provides that the commissioner may assess a penalty against a person who fails to provide information or records as demanded under section 142.31 of the Act or as requested under section 142.41 of the Act, and authorizes the Supreme Court to grant an order requiring a person to comply with a demand notice or request to provide information or records.

Recent Amendments to Fisheries Act
Next to federal taxation and trade legislation, the Fisheries Act (the "Act") is probably the federal legislation of most concern to the BC forest industry. And for good reason. The Act contemplates maximum penalties for a contravention of up to $1 million, three years imprisonment, or both. A court is also able to impose an additional fine to remove any monetary benefit received due to noncompliance with the Act. If a contravention of the Act continues for more than one day, a separate offence occurs each day. And, most chillingly, if a company commits an offence under the Act, then any officer, director or agent of the company who directed, authorized, assented to, acquiesced in or participated in the commission of the offence is personally guilty of the offence and liable to punishment as provided for in the Act. View the full article published by Jeff Waatainen  in the recent edition of the BC Forest Professional Magazine published by the ABCFP, Jul/Aug 2013, Volume 20, Issue 4.

WorkSafe BC Updates
Recent updates by WorkSafe BC include the following:

  • Employer duty toward other workers
  • Updated OHS Warning Letters Policy
  • New or revised ACGIH Threshold Limit Values and BC OELs
  • Upcoming OHS workplace bullying and harassment policies
Read more in the BC Forest Safety Council's Rumblings, Issue 147, 2013.
FORESTRY AND ENVIRONMENT
Act or Regulation Affected Effective Date Amendment Information
 Forest Act June 1/13 by 2012 Bill 34, c. 13, section 39 only (in force by Reg 290/2012), Limitation Act
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