Highlights of the Year

The 2004/05 Annual Service Plan Report covers the fiscal year April 1, 2004 to March 31, 2005 and reports on the ministry's 2004/05 – 2006/07 Service Plan, which was prepared under the Budget Transparency and Accountability Act. All ministries are accountable for making yearly progress toward their goals and objectives and to report on that progress to the citizens of British Columbia. This annual report provides the public, stakeholders, legislators and other agencies with meaningful, credible information on the ministry's progress in achieving its vision and mission. It reports on the ministry's performance results and how they may affect future planning.

The Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection has a broad scope and a wide range of responsibility. The work we do touches every person in our province and encompasses a large range of activities, involving numerous partners at the local, provincial and national level. Some of the ministry's significant actions and achievements over the past year are highlighted below. (See Appendix A for a glossary of terms and Appendix B for the ministry's progress in meeting its New Era commitments.)

April 2004

• The ministry's new Permit and Authorization Service Bureau was launched. The bureau is designed to handle approximately 20,000 applications for park use permits and fish and wildlife permits and commercial licences per year. Under this new structure, applications can now be downloaded over the internet, faxed or mailed into one office. The website for the bureau is: http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/pasb/index.htm.

May 2004

• The Habitat Conservation Trust Fund is funding over $5.5 million in 142 conservation, habitat restoration and enhancement projects this year. The projects will occur throughout the province, many of them led by community groups.
• Amendments to the Protected Areas of British Columbia Act created 37 new Class A parks and one new ecological reserve, and expanded 34 existing Class A parks and four ecological reserves. These new additions to the province's protected areas system come as a result of numerous land acquisitions and three Land and Resource Management Plans.
• The Wildlife Amendment Act received Royal Assent. The Act will expand government's powers to protect and recover species at risk. The legislation clarifies and reinforces British Columbia's authority to make its own decisions regarding species, using the best available science, and ensures full consideration of socio-economic implications.
• The ministry released an updated Identified Wildlife Management Strategy that designates species for special management to minimize the effects of forest and range practices on wildlife on Crown land.
• The Alberta – British Columbia Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Environmental Cooperation and Harmonization was signed. The purpose of the MOU is to develop and implement collaborative strategic approaches to common areas of environmental management, including regulatory harmonization.

June 2004

• The Province announced that it would increase spending on invasive weed control by $3.3 million over the next two years. The increased funding will significantly expand existing provincial programs that target invasive plants on Crown land and in transportation corridors, and provide grants to local governments to encourage new regional weed-control programs.

July 2004

• The Riparian Areas Regulation was approved under section 12 of the Fish Protection Act. The Regulation applies to areas of the province that are experiencing the most rapid urban growth. The new rules are designed to provide clear direction to local governments and developers on the steps necessary to meet the requirements of the federal Fisheries Act, which prohibits activities that harm fish habitat.
• The Environmental Management Act was brought into force. The new Act brought provisions from the Waste Management Act and the Environment Management Act into one statute. The Waste Discharge Regulation, the Conservation Officer Regulation and amendments to the Contaminated Sites Regulation and Hazardous Waste Regulation came into effect at the same time. The Act and its regulations focus on high-risk operations, allow for codes of practice to regulate medium- and low-risk activities with one set of enforceable rules province-wide, and provide a more efficient, fair and accountable approach to contaminated sites.
• The Conservation Officer Service signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Parks Canada. The MOU outlines cooperative measures and empowers Parks Canada Wardens with the necessary authorities for the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve and adjacent lands.

August 2004

• The Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia announced a partnership to reconstruct the historic Myra Canyon trestles destroyed by wildfire in 2003. The trestles are a major tourism asset for the Okanagan economy and an invaluable part of the province's heritage. A task force, with representatives from the federal, provincial and local governments, and the Myra Canyon Trestle Restoration Society, was set up to consider options for the trestles. A plan has now been selected that includes a combination of scaled-down and historic rebuilds.
• A prescribed burn was carried out in Mount Robson Provincial Park to reduce wildfire risk and address the mountain pine beetle infestation. The burn is part of the multi-year Forest and Health Strategy for the park to deal with ecosystem management.

September 2004

• The Province announced that it will spend $7 million over the next five years on a Living Rivers initiative. The funding will be directed toward specific enhancement, research and restoration projects related to rivers and watersheds, as well as toward increasing public awareness, strengthening partnerships, and enhancing the effectiveness of community organizations.
• The Canada – British Columbia Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the implementation of Canada's oceans strategy on the Pacific Coast was signed. To implement the MOU, the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia have agreed to jointly develop sub-agreements on various implementation measures relating to oceans management.

October 2004

• The Recycling Regulation under the Environmental Management Act took effect on October 7, 2004. The Regulation creates a single performance-based regulatory structure for all the ministry's industry product stewardship programs. It replaces two existing stewardship regulations for beverage containers and residual products (such as paint, oil, oil filters, bottles, pharmaceuticals and flammables), the provisions of which have been incorporated into the new Regulation. The new Regulation shifts the end of lifecycle responsibility for future product stewardship from local government and general taxpayers to industry and consumers.
• The provincial government created the B.C. Trust for Public Lands. The provincial contribution of $8 million, with a minimum requirement for matching dollars from the conservation sector, will support improved conservation planning, and more efficient acquisition and management of private lands that have unique ecological values.

November 2004

• Phase 1 of the Ground Water Protection Regulation under the Water Act came into force on November 1, 2004. The Regulation is part of the Province's Action Plan for Safe Drinking Water, which protects water from source to tap. Phase 1 establishes standards to ensure wells are properly drilled, sealed, maintained and closed. It also establishes qualification requirements for well-drillers and well-pump installers, as well as requires wells to be flood-proofed so run-off contamination cannot occur during flooding and heavy rains.
• The Province protected over 16 hectares of critical wetland habitat on the Okanagan River. Located south of Oliver, the wetland is a significant feeding area and breeding ground for 25 species of waterfowl and habitat for many species of concern. Funding for the purchase came through the Environmental Enhancement Fund, created through an agreement between the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection and the Ministry of Transportation.
• The Province provided over $315,000 to support community-based projects to improve British Columbia's air quality. The funding will support 20 community-based public education, awareness and research projects, including the development of regional airshed plans and community events around the province for Clean Air Day in June 2005. Supported by the ministry, many regions have developed, or are in the midst of developing, airshed plans that focus on strategic partnerships and actions to improve air quality.

December 2004

• The B.C. Climate Exchange, a program that provides information on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, received $60,000 in provincial funding. The B.C. Climate Exchange connects people with education and training programs, resources and tools to address climate change.
• The ministry released Weather, Climate and the Future: B.C.'s Plan, which is the province's action plan for climate change. The plan builds upon the significant investments already made in clean energy, infrastructure and forestry.
• The Integrated Pest Management Act and the Integrated Pest Management Regulation came into effect on December 31, 2004. The Act and Regulation streamline the way in which industry manages pesticide application through the use of a results-based, long-term planning process. This streamlined approach will help protect human health and safety and make more efficient use of ministry resources.

January 2005

• The Province announced the addition of 125 collection sites where motorists can drop off used oil, oil filters and containers. With these new sites, British Columbia now has more than 500 return collection facilities that accept, with no charge, used oil, oil filters and containers. The products are sent from these facilities for recycling.
• The Province provided more than $55,000 to support partnerships that will boost conservation and recreation on northern Vancouver Island and throughout British Columbia. Funding of $45,000 will go toward the development of the North Coast Trail, which will add 47 kilometres to the Cape Scott trail system at the northern tip of Vancouver Island. A partnership was also developed between the provincial government and the Wilderness Tourism Association, recognizing the role wilderness tourism operators play in environmental stewardship throughout the province.

February 2005

• The provincial government provided $70,000 to promote bear awareness and reduce bear-human conflicts. Funding of $55,000 will help communities participate in the provincial Bear Smart program, which encourages communities, businesses and individuals to work together to address the causes of bear-human conflicts. The Province also invested $15,000 in Wild About Bears, a new program to improve bear awareness among public school students in British Columbia.
• The Province established the B.C. Conservation Corps, a new program aimed at developing new conservationists by getting students and recent graduates motivated about conservation. The corps is a long-term program of the ministry's and will be supported by initial funding of $9 million over the next three years. Up to 150 students and recent graduates per year will work to maintain and enhance the diversity of the province's ecosystems, fish and wildlife populations and habitats, and our world-class parks and protected areas system, which are key environmental priorities identified by government and the ministry.

March 2005

• The ministry received a $7.8 million increase in its budget to build on its progress in habitat and wildlife protection and restoration projects across the province. Funding of $6.5 million will go toward the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund's endowment and Public Conservation Assistance funds and to complete a multi-partnered purchase of over 4000 hectares of critical wildlife habitat in the Kootenays. The remaining $1.3 million will be used to fund conservation research grants at post-secondary institutions.
• The provincial government, The Nature Trust of British Columbia and Weyerhaeuser Company Ltd. reached an agreement to nearly double the size of MacMillan Provincial Park. This will increase the park's size to 280 hectares and build on H.R. MacMillan's 60-year legacy of conserving an example of old growth forest.
• The provincial government has increased the number of conservation officers (COs) working in communities to enhance protection for bears and residents. One CO will work in Whistler on a bear aversion program. Two other COs will be based in the District of North Vancouver to deal with problem bears and help educate citizens in the best ways to handle wandering bears in their neighbourhoods. These officers will work during periods of maximum black bear activity, such as the spring and fall months, under a cost-sharing arrangement between the Province and the district.
• The Province invested $1.2 million to hire 12 additional water specialists to focus on groundwater and surface water protection. These specialists will be located throughout the province and will work closely with local government, health officials, water suppliers and the well-drilling industry to further protect and manage British Columbia's water supplies and ensure their safety.
• The Province announced an investment of more than $20 million over the next three years to upgrade provincial park facilities, which will improve the camping and day-use experience for park visitors. The money will fund improvements to facilities such as campgrounds, water systems and trails in parks.
• BC Parks will hire 26 new park rangers who will be strategically deployed across the province, focusing on seasons and regions where the need is greatest. In addition, 28 existing rangers will have their positions extended, increasing their presence in parks around the province.
• An agreement between the provincial government, the Capital Regional District (CRD) and The Land Conservancy (TLC) of British Columbia will expand Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park on Saltspring Island and see the creation of a new regional park in Sooke. The provincial government will buy 151 hectares on Saltspring Island from the CRD and, in turn, the CRD will use the proceeds of the sale to buy 85% of the 63-hectare Sooke Potholes property from TLC.