Part B: Integrated Land Management Bureau — Continued

Goals, Objectives, Strategies and Results

This section outlines how specific objectives, strategies, performance measures and targets help achieve the bureau's and the government's goals.

Bureau Goals and their Linkage to Government's
Five Great Goals for a Golden Decade

The following table illustrates the direct linkage of the bureau's goals to two of the government's Five Great Goals for a Golden Decade. The bureau's land and resource-use planning and client-centred resource information services will be particularly important to ensuring that economic and community development based on Crown land and resources is balanced with the preservation of environmental integrity, thereby supporting the government's goal concerning sustainable environmental management (Goal 4). Coordinated and balanced decisions on the management and recovery of broad-ranging, globally significant, species-at-risk will be critical to this government goal. In addition to ensuring effective and timely management and recovery of such species, it will help demonstrate provincial leadership in land and resource stewardship on the world stage.

All of the bureau's five objectives will support the government's jobs objective (Goal 5). Integrated, timely, lower cost and more certain access to Crown land and resources through the bureau's Front Counter BC – Natural Resource Opportunity Centres, its land and resource-use planning activities and its integrated resource information will lead to greater investor confidence, resulting in economic development and jobs. First Nations consultations and accommodations in the development and implementation of land and resource-use plans will have similar impacts, as will timely, coordinated management and recovery of species-at-risk.

The bureau's strategies will also favourably impact the government's first three strategic goals, although in a less direct way. Greater economic development and sectoral diversification through Crown land and resource access should help to produce more resilient and adaptive communities with higher education and literacy levels (Goal 1). Land and resource-use planning and associated engagement with First Nations should particularly help in this regard. More resilient and adaptive communities should also contribute to the improved health and fitness of individuals (Goal 2). So too will improved access to Crown land and resources for the recreational, agricultural and aquacultural sectors. Finally, these same community developments may make it easier for such communities to support their disadvantaged groups (Goal 3).

Bureau Performance Plan Summary

In addition to the linkage to the government's strategic goals, the diagram also displays the bureau mission, goals, objectives and performance measures, and indicates their linkage.

The Integrated Land Management Bureau is a service-oriented organization committed to planning, providing access to and promoting the sustainable use of Crown resources. The bureau's single-point-of-contact offices provide effective and efficient services for clients seeking land and resource tenures, permits, licences and Crown grants as well as land and resource information.

In order to deliver on its goals the bureau will continually develop performance targets, service level agreements, performance measures and training strategies among agencies while working to improve client service so that clients receive direct and tangible benefits.

Clients expect services that are timely, accurate, courteous, convenient, predictable and transparent. In particular, a high percentage of regional clients for natural resource access and information services, outside the provincial government, have indicated a need for single-point-of-contact service to ensure full disclosure of the steps and costs they face, to reduce runaround time between agencies and to streamline the application process.

Key strategies:

• provide professional, knowledgeable, front-counter support to clients applying for, or seeking information on, tenures, permits, licences, Crown grants and other resource information;
• liaise with provincial natural resource agencies and other levels of government to optimize responsiveness and achieve seamless delivery of services; and
• work with local communities and government to identify and market economic development opportunities.

Performance Measures:⁸

Number of Natural Resource Opportunity Centres opened: A staged but rapid opening of these centres across the province will be a key ingredient of efficiently facilitating greater client-centred service for those seeking natural resource authorizations and resource information.

Client satisfaction with Natural Resource Opportunity Centres: This measure assesses overall client satisfaction levels, changes in these through time and the source of any dissatisfaction. It will allow all service dimensions to be addressed.

Timely processing of applications for land and resource-use authorizations: This measure specifically addresses the timeliness of application processing from the time of lodgment by the client to the notification of a result by the bureau.

Performance Measures	2004/05	2005/06 Target	2006/07 Target	2007/08 Target
1-1. Number of Front Counter BC – Natural Resource Opportunity Centres (NROCs) opened	Pilot service centre operated in Kamloops	3	5	None planned at this stage
1-2. Percentage of clients who are satisfied with services provided by Natural Resource Opportunity Centres		Establish baseline and targets	10% improvement	10% improvement
1-3. Percentage of applications processed within timelines communicated to clients1		Establish baseline and targets2	90%	90%

Having clients satisfied with the resource information provided to them through the bureau is a key objective of the organization. Understanding the needs of clients is therefore crucial to facilitating delivery of the desired information.

Key strategies:

• work closely with clients to understand their information needs and help them achieve their business goals;
• promote the bureau's responsibilities and provide internal and external clients with value-added information and support;
• deliver self-service access and analytical tools that meet client needs;
• develop and implement an effective governance and business model for information management and pricing;
• focus on achieving a sustainable infrastructure for resource information management that meets client needs;
• improve data management through communicating roles and responsibilities for data custodians; and
• develop and maintain partnerships essential for the effective delivery of excellence in land and resource information management.

Performance Measure:

Client services satisfaction: An annual survey measures improvement against the 2003/04 baseline of 46 per cent client satisfaction.⁹ This measure focuses on those clients with service agreements with the Integrated Land Management Bureau concerning resource information.

In support of this goal the bureau pursues two objectives.

The first objective addresses strategic land-use planning, which includes broad scale Land and Resource Management Plans (LRMPs), and more detailed Sustainable Resource Management Plans (SRMPs).¹⁰ These plans identify where land and resources may be managed for economic activity and environmental protection, including critical habitat.

The bureau also achieves the resource planning aspects of its mission by serving as a central agent to support and enable integrated decision-making across all government agencies. This integrated decision-making considers environmental, social and economic issues while striving to find ways for all uses to co-exist with less conflict.

The second objective addresses First Nations consultation and achieving greater participation of First Nations in strategic land-use planning. The bureau will also strive for meaningful partnerships with First Nations in developing land-use plans.

Priorities have been set for preparation of both strategic and more detailed plans based on their expected benefits for key sectors.

Strategic-level plans and the implementation strategies that accompany them are the highest level land-use plans government undertakes. Completion of strategic-level plans will help ensure resource management decisions take into account the needs of communities, the economy and the environment, as well as First Nation values and concerns, now and into the future.

Sustainable Resource Management Plans (SRMPs) define how Crown land and resources in the specified planning area will be used in the future. Their scope and planning boundaries are driven by the specific resource issues and opportunities under study (e.g., tourism opportunities, agricultural lands, access management, biodiversity requirements, community economic diversification and growth, and conflict resolution). Completion of SRMPs will involve partnerships and consultation with interested First Nations and will contain policies and guidelines supporting sustainable resource management.

In addition to SRMPs, the bureau will undertake other specific initiatives under this objective, such as supporting amendments to government policies or legislation to ensure sustainable access to Crown land or resources for development. As well, the bureau will continue to explore ways to proceed with resource targets, an important tool for supporting plan implementation.

Key strategies:

• complete and ensure approval of Central Coast, North Coast, Lillooet, Morice, Sea-to-Sky and Haida Gwaii/Queen Charlotte Islands strategic land-use plans;
• oversee implementation and revision of approved strategic-level land-use plans to maintain effectiveness;
• review and update strategic-level plans in areas impacted by Mountain Pine Beetle;
• review and amend land-use planning processes as a consequence of public consultations in 2004;
• undertake SRMPs to enable specific economic opportunities and conservation priorities;
• develop and apply area based resource targets as an outcome of land and resource-use planning;
• lead regionally based Inter-Agency Management Committees to coordinate government interests in Crown resource access; and
• establish strategic land-use plan implementation committees to maintain and increase local ownership of land-use plans.

Performance Measures:

Strategic-level plans completed and adopted: This measure identifies major, specific efforts to complete, approve and implement six priority strategic-level plans that facilitate access to, and use of, Crown lands and resources, particularly where competition between commercial and public interests for these resources is strong. These six plans will cover 12 per cent of the province, bringing to 85 per cent the area of British Columbia covered by approved strategic land-use plans.

Strategic-level land-use plans revised in light of Mountain Pine Beetle infestation: This measure assesses the progress of amending LRMPs and Regional Land-Use Plans in forested areas impacted by the Mountain Pine Beetle. Updates are required in order to secure future economic development opportunities, and to maintain public support for the plans and the timber salvage program.

Supporting results-based forestry: Establishment of key biodiversity objectives and other legal objectives required to support the Forest and Range Practices Act will allow implementation of results-based forestry and a reduction in regulation. This will lead to increased economic and social benefits while maintaining environmental integrity.

New SRMPs completed: This is an indicator of additional resource-based economic opportunities enabled by planning activities under this objective.

Consultation with First Nations on the development and implementation of land-use plans will be accomplished through greater participation in planning and through partnerships that may assist First Nations in pursuing specific resource-based economic opportunities.

In light of recent court decisions regarding aboriginal rights and title and growing First Nations interest in land-use planning, the bureau is pursuing increasingly innovative partnerships and negotiation arrangements with First Nations on land-use planning. This includes government-to-government negotiations with affected First Nations for all current Land and Resource Management Plans prior to plan completion and approval, and increased participation in the updating and review of existing land-use plans.

Specific strategies to be pursued under this objective are under development. Certainly the bureau will continue to consult on the development of all land-use plans and any revisions to existing plans. The bureau is also likely to assist First Nations in the pursuit of specific resource-based economic opportunities through the development of Sustainable Resource Management Plans and possibly with associated economic feasibility studies.

Key strategies:

• engage First Nations in land-use planning and the achievement of sustainable land and resource-based economic opportunities;
• consult with First Nations on the development of all land-use plans and on all major amendments associated to land-use plans; and
• develop a First Nations land-use planning strategy utilizing protocol agreements for First Nations' participation in land-use planning.

Performance Measure:

First Nations consultation on land-use plans: This measure ensures the province is meeting its legal obligations to consult with First Nations on resource planning. It is an interim measure pending development of new measures which better reflect the nature of the improved relationship desired with First Nations.¹²

Improved Crown land resource access, reduced resource-use conflicts and improved environmental sustainability will be achieved by coordinating the management and recovery of B.C.'s complement of globally significant species. This will be important to all sectors of the provincial resource economy and to the public at large.

In collaboration with partner ministries, the bureau will develop an outcome-based vision for species-at-risk management in B.C. through a well-coordinated, scientifically credible and defensible approach to management. The bureau will also: provide needed provincial leadership in coordinating recovery efforts for broad-ranging key species (as assigned by government); coordinate investment in species-at-risk and their constituent ecosystems to ensure that not only biodiversity, but also social and economic value, importance to First Nations, and technical feasibility of management and recovery achieve recognition.

Key strategies:

• work across government to develop a coherent policy framework for prioritizing and coordinating the management of species and ecosystems;
• work with statutory ministries to coordinate the development of a new fiscal framework and policies to direct funding priorities identified for species and eco-systems at risk; and
• coordinate government delivery structures to recommend measures that consolidate resources, reduce duplication and overlap and ensure results are outcome focused.

Performance Measures:

Outcome-based policy submitted for management and recovery of species-at-risk in B.C.: This measure provides for submission to government of a new, scientifically defensible, outcomes-based policy for the management and recovery of species-at-risk in B.C. that focuses efforts on the province's complement of globally significant species.

Number of species-at-risk recovery plans brought forward: This measure addresses the number of completed, provincial priority, species-at-risk recovery plans brought forward to government for decision-making. The priorities for 2005/06 are to complete coordinated recovery plans for the Mountain Caribou, Northern Spotted Owl and the Marbled Murralet.

Performance Measures	2004/05	2005/06 Target	2006/07 Target	2007/08 Target
3-1. Submission to government of a scientifically credible and defensible approach to the management and recovery of species-at-risk in B.C.		March 31, 2006
3-2. Number of recovery plans for assigned, broad-ranging species-at-risk brought forward for decision-making by government		3	To be developed	To be developed