Message from the Deputy Minister

The past year marked a period of significant accomplishments and milestones for the ministry.

Since my appointment as Deputy Minister in July 2004, I continue to be impressed by the complexity and variety of issues this ministry faces. I have also grown to appreciate the level of dedication and commitment staff display on a daily basis. I know that there is a strong sense of accountability and belief in continuous improvement at all levels in the ministry. As this report notes, the ministry achieved almost all of its performance measures and targets, exceeding the high standard set in last year's annual report.

Throughout 2004/05, we made strong advances across the entire ministry by building upon our strengths, responding to emerging challenges and identifying new opportunities.

Through our land-use planning activities, we continued to work to make activities on the land-base more predictable and thus to promote economic growth and the stability of resource communities. We have also continued to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of land and resource information, making it easier for individuals, agencies and businesses to make informed and timely decisions. We enhanced management efforts on Crown land contaminated sites and we implemented a number of key policy initiatives to ensure the optimal use of Crown land and resources.

I would like to acknowledge the significant contribution that Dr. Jon O'Riordan, my predecessor, made to the provincial government. Jon retired from the civil service after a career of more than thirty years as a distinguished and prominent public servant. He was instrumental in creating the initial vision for the ministry and leading the organization through its first three-year service plan. On behalf of all current and past ministry staff, I want to thank Jon for his contributions to the ministry and wish him all the best in his retirement.

In summary, the ministry continues to play an important role building a prosperous future for all British Columbians. We do this by working with a wide variety of clients and partners to provide for the sustainable economic development of Crown land and resources.

Chris Trumpy
Deputy Minister

June 14, 2005