Ministry of Environment

Overview and Core Business Areas

Overview

The Ministry of Environment was created in June 2005 as part of a government-wide reorganization. The new ministry has the responsibilities of the former Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection and several new areas related to water stewardship and ocean management. The Minister of Environment is also responsible for the Environmental Assessment Office.

In this updated Service Plan, the Ministry of Environment renews the mandate to protect and enhance the quality of British Columbia's water, land and air in a way that contributes to healthy communities, park and outdoor opportunities, a sustainable environment, and a strong and vibrant provincial economy. The ministry strives to bring an effective and balanced approach to environmental management that optimizes benefits from a healthy economy and retains British Columbia's world-renowned natural beauty and environmental integrity. To accomplish this, the ministry provides leadership by developing innovative legislation, programs and initiatives, and promoting effective relationships with clients including other government bodies, First Nations, industry, and the range of groups in the environmental community. Our clients also encompass the public at large, small business, park users and our staff.

The ministry relies on six core business areas and more than 1,000 staff located in all regions of the province to achieve its goals and objectives. To reflect the government's Five Great Goals and organizational restructuring, two new core business areas and a number of responsibility areas have been added to the ministry.

In British Columbia, our quality of life and future economic prosperity depend on a safe and sustainable supply of high-quality water for communities, industry and the environment. The Water Stewardship Division has been established to lead this work.

Sustainable marine fisheries and oceans are integral to a healthy environment and a thriving economy. The Oceans Division has been established to work with the federal government on issues of coastal marine planning and fisheries management.

In order to achieve its mandate, the ministry depends on the contributions and support of a range of partners. The ministry's service partners include, but are not limited to, Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Ministry of Forests and Range, Ministry of Health, Integrated Land Management Bureau, Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Parks Canada and a variety of other ministries, federal government organizations, and industry and professional associations. These service partners contribute to the ministry's achievements through a wide range of activities. For a list of service partners and their contributions, please see Appendix A.

Legislation is the foundation upon which government delivers its programs and services. Significant legislation that drives the ministry's mission and programs includes:

• the Environmental Assessment Act
• the Environmental Management Act
• the Integrated Pest Management Act
• the Protected Areas of British Columbia Act
• the Wildlife Act
• the Park Act
• the Water Act

For a complete list of legislation administered by the ministry, see Appendix B.

Core Business Areas and Structure

1. Environmental Protection

This core business area is led by the Environmental Protection Division. Key programs and services focus on protecting human health and the environmental quality of water, land and air. Key functions aim at maintaining high environmental standards by: promoting sustainable environmental practices in communities through partnerships and education on best management practices; maintaining a system for air and water quality monitoring and reporting; and regulating and monitoring industrial and community activities to ensure compliance. Providing opportunities such as industry-led stewardship programs for the disposal of post-consumer products and shifting the responsibility for lower risk spills to industry and partners enable the ministry to better focus its resources on high-risk issues.

One of the major focuses of this business area has been developing new legislation. Examples include: bringing into force the Environmental Management Act; implementing the Waste Discharge Regulation and other regulatory amendments, codes and protocols; and approving Phase 1 of the Ground Water Protection Regulation under the Water Act.¹ Such legislative changes continue to facilitate outcome-based regulations that provide clear roles for governments and stakeholders, consistent performance standards, updated fee structures, decreased remedial and legal costs, and a greater focus on parties who do not comply with regulatory requirements.

Approximately $39,807,000 and 247 FTEs are dedicated to this core business area.

2. Environmental Stewardship

This core business area is led by the Environmental Stewardship Division. Key programs and services focus on working with other ministries, industry, communities and governments to establish standards for the use and protection of species and habitats. This area supports the Ministry of Forests and Range in its lead role on British Columbia's Mountain Pine Beetle Action Plan by continuing to mitigate mountain pine beetle impacts and initiate ecosystem restoration activities throughout British Columbia's wilderness, parks and protected areas.

Environmetal Stewardship has the lead role in collecting, maintaining and managing the scientific information necessary to ensure established standards represent the best available science. Other programs and services focus on providing outdoor opportunities in British Columbia parks and protected areas, allocating natural resources for hunting, angling and wildlife viewing, and helping to ensure the economic potential of these activities is realized in a sustainable way. Key functions focus on shared stewardship and sustainable economic development and are aimed at maintaining and restoring fish and wildlife species and their habitats. This core business area also works to promote the effective management of fish, wildlife and park resources. Environmental Stewardship provides and enhances park, freshwater fish and wildlife services and opportunities for British Columbians and others. This area establishes legislation, policies and procedures that allow for the protection and preservation of our natural environment.

Approximately $66,107,000 and 433 FTEs are dedicated to this core business area.

3. Water Stewardship

This new core business area is led by the Water Stewardship Division. Key programs and services focus on the protection and maintenance of conditions essential for sustaining the quantity of both the surface and ground water resource in the short and long term. This is accomplished through planning, source water protection, allocation and regulation, water utility regulation, water resource information collection and management, flood and drought forecasting, and dam and dike safety. Key activities include: early detection, warning and response to public health and safety threats and drought; demand side management and promotion of water conservation; implementation of the ministry's responsibilities for source water protection under the Action Plan for Safe Drinking Water in B.C.; completion of phases 2 and 3 of the Ground Water Protection Regulation; fair and equitable allocation of surface and ground water; and the fostering of stewardship through public awareness, education and responsibility toward a sustainable water resource. This core business area is also responsible for actively encouraging communities to integrate water resource management into municipal and regional planning and development programs.

Approximately $21,256,000 and 85 FTEs are dedicated to this core business area.

4. Oceans

This new core business area is led by the Oceans Division and is responsible for the overall coordination of strategies and initiatives related to fisheries and coastal marine issues. Key programs include joint provincial-federal oceans strategies that place priority on coastal and oceans planning, sustainable oceans industries and a marine protected areas framework. Other key functions include a lead role in the development and implementation of a B.C. Fisheries Strategy Framework, a collaboration between federal and provincial agencies, other governments, First Nations and a diverse range of stakeholders.

Approximately $2,131,000 and 10 FTEs are dedicated to this core business area.

5. Compliance Operations

This core business area is led by the Compliance Division and provides support to other ministry divisions. Key programs and services in this business area address a range of compliance-related activities, and include those of the Conservation Officer Service (COS). This area provides education to help citizens be better stewards; promotes understanding of, and compliance with, regulatory requirements; conducts investigations; and, when needed, works within ministry programs on a range of enforcement options.

Approximately $16,308,000 and 145 FTEs are dedicated to this core business area.

6. Executive and Support Services

This core business area is led through the Deputy Minister's Office, Strategic Policy Division and Corporate Services Division and is responsible for strategic planning and policy development. Key programs and services in this business area focus on providing effective planning and legislative support to assist core business areas in achieving their objectives. Other key programs include: risk assessment and structured decision-making; State of the Environment reporting; economic analysis; service planning, reporting and evaluation; a full range of financial and administration services; and information systems planning and delivery. The Corporate Services Division also provides financial, administration, human resource and systems support to the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands and the Integrated Land Management Bureau.

Approximately $24,476,000 and 130 FTEs are dedicated to this core business area.

Ministry Organizational Structure

The ministry's structure supports the services, programs, regulatory reform and other initiatives carried out in each core business area.

Figure 1 below shows the ministry's organizational chart and the main responsibilities of each division.

Figure 1. Ministry of Environment organizational structure

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