Core Business Areas
1. Environmental Stewardship
This core business area is led by the Environmental Stewardship Division. Key programs and services focus on working with other ministries, First Nations, industry, communities and governments to establish standards for the use and protection of species and habitats. This area has the lead role in collecting, maintaining and managing the scientific information necessary to ensure these standards represent the best available science. Other programs and services focus on the provision of outdoor opportunities in B.C. parks and protected areas, allocation of 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 (e.g., Park Act, Protected Areas of British Columbia Act, Wildlife Act), policies and procedures that allow for the protection and conservation of our natural environment.
Approximately $69,987,000 and 471 FTEs are dedicated to this core business area.
2. Water Stewardship
This core business area is led by the Water Stewardship Division. Key programs and services focus on providing provincial leadership in ensuring the water resources and aquatic ecosystems of British Columbia are safe, sustainable and valued by all. This involves protecting and managing water quality and quantity to optimize the benefits and sustainability of the province’s water resources for communities, the economy and the environment. The division leads innovative approaches to water governance; develops legislation and non-regulatory tools; develops and delivers science and information critical to understanding and managing the water resource; and carries out statutory and public safety functions that support fair and sustainable water allocation, protect ground water resources and minimize the risk to British Columbians from floods and droughts. Other program areas include water planning, source drinking water protection, and water utility regulation. The division, through the Comptroller of Water Rights, is responsible for administering the Water Act, Water Protection Act and Water Utilities Act. This core business area’s work places a high priority on fostering water stewardship through public awareness, education, partnerships and capacity building.
Approximately $28,457,000 and 120 FTEs are dedicated to this core business area.
3. Oceans and Marine Fisheries
This core business area under the Oceans and Marine Fisheries Division leads the development and implementation of the provincial government’s ocean resources and marine fisheries initiatives. The key programs focus on sustainable and integrated management and use of B.C.’s ocean resources; a stable and diverse marine fishery that provides broad social and economic benefits for British Columbians; and growth and diversification of a seafood sector that offers strong competition in global markets with a focus on sustainability and quality. Key functions include leading the development of provincial oceans interests and objectives; creating collaborative provincial-federal resource management strategies; developing shared governance frameworks to ensure a stronger provincial role in the management of marine fisheries and ocean resources; supporting traceability and certification programs; and marketing the sustainability and quality of B.C.’s seafood industry in the global marketplace.
Approximately $2,149,000 and 13 FTEs are dedicated to this core business area.
4. 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. The core business area also focuses on providing opportunities such as industry-led stewardship programs for the reuse and recycling of post-consumer products and shifting the responsibility for lower risk spills to industry and partners.
The development and enactment of the Environmental Management Act facilitates implementation of 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 those not in compliance with regulatory requirements. This business area continues to develop, amend and implement regulations, codes, policies and procedures that support the outcome-based model and protect water, land and air.
Approximately $40,485,000 and 256 FTEs are dedicated to this core business area.
5. Compliance
This core business area is led by the Compliance Division. Key programs and services focus on providing ministry-wide leadership, innovation and services in support of the ministry’s compliance goals. Activities include providing expertise in environmental investigation and enforcement, wildlife/human incident response and preventative programs, and compliance techniques and tools. Key functions include delivering a full range of compliance-related activities, including educating citizens to be better stewards; promoting the understanding of, and compliance with, regulatory requirements; conducting investigations; and working with ministry programs on a range of enforcement options. The division supports the management and delivery of compliance activities in a manner that is timely, appropriate and consistent with the mandate of the ministry, and with the risk to the environmental values at issue.
Approximately $17,797,000 and 152 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 focus on providing effective planning and legislative support to assist core business areas in achieving their objectives. Other key programs include inter-governmental relations; assessing risk within structured decision-making; State of the Environment Reporting; sustainable communities; economic analysis; service planning, reporting, evaluation and performance management; and a full range of financial, human resource, administration and information systems services. The Corporate Services Division also provides financial, administration, human resource and information systems services to the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands and the Integrated Land Management Bureau.
Approximately $29,389,000 and 393 FTEs are dedicated to this core business area.
Ministry Organizational Structure
In the fall of 2005, the ministry was restructured into seven divisions to more effectively support the services, programs and initiatives carried out in its core business areas.
Figure 1 below shows the ministry’s current organizational structure and the main responsibilities of each division.
Figure 1. Ministry of Environment organizational structure
