Agricultural Land Commission 2002/03 Annual Service Plan Report

Performance Reporting

Commission Goals, Objectives, Key Strategies
and Results

The Commission's three goals and eleven objectives relate to its vision, purpose and mission "to protect the agricultural land base necessary to provide a safe and secure food supply that meets the current and future needs of British Columbians". Government and the Commission undertook a number of changes to make the Commission more regionally responsive to community needs, thus fulfilling government's New Era commitment. Additional changes also brought the Commission's work in line with government goals for "a strong and vibrant provincial economy" and "safe, healthy communities and a sustainable environment".

As this fiscal year was one of significant change and transition for the Commission, its methods of performance assessment required major re-thinking and re-design. This work was commenced but not completed during the year, as the Commission's priorities were to manage the changes themselves.

As well, the experience of working under the first Service Plan has provided positive feedback to the Commission to refine and further develop the objectives, strategies and measures for the 2003/04 – 2005/06 Service Plan.

The design of its new performance management system involved the identification of appropriate parameters and data sources for measuring the performance of the Commission on its 2003/04 – 2005/06 Service Plan objectives and strategies, many of which were changed from the plan reported on here. The new performance management system will be implemented for the 2003/04 Annual Service Plan Report.

As a result, performance measures reported for the year 2002/03 lack baseline and trend data. Furthermore, in some cases targets were not established or are no longer relevant.

The following tables set out the Commission objectives and key strategies for each of its three goals for 2002/03. Performance measures and targets (where available) are reported and linked to the goals and objectives that they address, with either qualitative or quantitative measures or indicators.

Goal 1: Ensure that the Commission is responsive, efficient and accountable

Goal 2: Protect the Land Base

Goal 3: Enhance the sustainable use of the agricultural land base

Deregulation

Government's New Era commitment is to achieve a two-thirds reduction in regulatory requirements across government by the end of 2004/05. Through legislative amendments and policy revisions, government and the Commission reduced regulatory requirements for the Commission's areas of responsibility by 18% during the fiscal year.

Further significant reductions will be achieved when new legislation eliminates the FLR, and the Commission's role in regulating forest practices on private managed forest lands is ended. However some of the regulatory requirements for the regulation of forest practices on private lands will be transferred elsewhere within the Ministry. When the Commission delegates oil and gas development approvals to the Oil and Gas Commission in the Peace Region, additional reductions will be achieved. Both reductions will be realized during 2003/04. With these completed the Commission will meet or exceed the target of a 66% reduction in regulatory requirements by 2004/05.