Nisga'a First Nation Sues BC Government over
Environmental Assessment for Proposed Mine
A First Nation in British Columbia's northwest is taking the provincial government to court over plans to redevelop an open-pit molybdenum mine on lands where it says its members have fishing and hunting rights.

In a petition launched in BC Supreme Court this week, the Nisga'a allege, in part, that the provincial government failed to consult the First Nation on environmental issues before issuing an environmental certificate to Vancouver-based Avanti Mining Inc.

The First Nations' leaders accuse the government of breaching the Nisga'a Final Agreement.

But the Ministry of Environment said in a statement issued Friday evening that the provincial government takes the treaty very seriously and consultation was a central aspect of the environmental assessment. Read the Vancouver Sun article.

New PST Bulletin for Mining Industry
The BC Government has issued a new bulletin that provides information on how the PST applies to businesses in the mining industry: Bulletin PST 111.

LNG to Bring More Than 100,000 Jobs to BC, Says Report
BC Jobs Minister Shirley Bond is touting new figures that predict more than 100,000 jobs are coming to the province thanks to the liquefied natural gas industry – but opposition critics wonder if the province can train enough people to fill the positions.

The report by the BC Natural Gas Workforce Strategy Committee estimates 60,000 workers will be needed to build LNG plants and pipelines starting in 2016, and 75,000 workers will be needed to keep them running after that. Read the CBC article.

Government Doing Fewer Inspections of
Forest and Range Practices
An investigation into government's inspections of compliance with forest and range practice legislation found that the number of inspections is one-third of what it was a few years ago, according to a report released today.

"The Forest and Range Practices Act is intended to keep environmental standards high, with strong compliance and enforcement. Government needs to demonstrate that it is carrying out enough inspections to adequately monitor compliance with legislation, or public confidence will be diminished," said Al Gorley, board chair.

Inspections decreased for a variety of reasons, one of which was the 2010 consolidation of natural resource ministries that now sees fewer natural resource officers inspecting a much greater number and type of activities on Crown land. For example they now inspect dams, recreation activities, illegal structures like cabins and docks, litter, open burning, etc.

As a result of this investigation, the board recommends improvements to how the government records and reports industry compliance. Read the Forest Practices Board entire news release. To view the full report by the FPB, download full report.

Rustad Echoes Liberal Comments on Release of Mill Explosion Report
BC's Aboriginal Relations Minister is repeating comments made by his BC Liberal colleagues regarding the delayed release of the BC Safety Authority report into the Babine Forest Products sawmill explosion. The NDP is leading the charge accusing the government of witholding vital safety information, but John Rustad says Crown Counsel must have exclusive access to the document in order to properly assess if charges should be laid without a media frenzy in their face. Rustad says the families of the killed as well as the wounded are among those that respect due process. See more.

No Carbon Tax Rise, Despite Program's Success
BC Minister of Environment Mary Polak says her government will stick to its promise to freeze the carbon tax for the next five years, despite a new study which finds it is reducing emissions.

The study from the University of Ottawa concluded that since BC introduced the carbon tax shift in 2008, the province's consumption of fossil fuels reduced nearly 19 per cent per capita compared to the rest of Canada.

Meanwhile British Columbia's gross domestic product has kept pace with that of the whole country. View the CBC article.

New Woodlot Licence Available near Enderby, BC
British Columbia continues to expand forest opportunities for individuals, groups and First Nations with the offering of a new woodlot licence near Enderby, British Columbia. The woodlot (W2024) is about 20 kilometres north of Enderby and covers 1,186 hectares with an allowable annual cut of 3,000 cubic metres. Read more at the ForestTalk website.