Ministry of Environment — Continued
Purpose, Vision, Mission and Values
Purpose
The transformation of the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection into the Ministry of Environment was an opportunity to reaffirm our mandate to protect, manage and enhance the province's natural environment, a responsibility we share with all British Columbians. We champion environmental stewardship through partnerships and volunteer programs, environmental awards and consultative processes that engage stakeholders, and we vigorously promote the sustainable use of the province's environmental resources. We strive to ensure that healthy and diverse native species and ecosystems are maintained and that outstanding outdoor and wildlife services and opportunities are available to all.
To continue to offer the best possible service to British Columbians and uphold our vision, mission and values, we ensure that our planning and management decisions are informed by science, our results achieved through innovative legislation and effective program development, and B.C.'s environmental resources are protected by a full range of effective compliance and enforcement services.
Vision, Mission and Values
As a result of the government-wide reorganization in 2005, the Ministry of Environment assumed responsibility for marine fisheries from the former Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries,2 and for water stewardship and the Conservation Data Centre from the former Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management and Land and Water BC. At the same time, the Minister of Environment assumed responsibility for the Environmental Assessment Office.
These new responsibilities required us to restructure our organization (see Figure 1 under Ministry Organization).
To support this new corporate structure and enhance our ability to support the government's goal of sustainable environmental management, the ministry revitalized its vision, mission and values, and redefined its goals, objectives, strategies and performance measures over the fall of 2005. These changes were confirmed in the February 2006/07 – 2008/09 Service Plan and now provide the foundation upon which the ministry operates. The ministry's new vision, mission and values are presented below. See Appendix B for a comparison between our old and new vision, mission and values. For more information about changes to the ministry's goals, objectives, strategies and performance measures, go to the Report on Performance section.
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| 2 | Now called the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands. |
Vision
Our new vision recaptures the public purpose we serve and our continued commitment to safeguard British Columbia's environmental legacy.
A clean, healthy and naturally diverse environment.
Mission
Our new mission continues to reflect our evolving leadership role and our reliance on the people of British Columbia to help us reach higher goals for environmental stewardship and sustainability.
Lead, inform, involve and support British Columbians to achieve the best environmental stewardship and sustainability.
Values
Our new values redefine our corporate behaviour, shift our focus onto meeting the service needs of our clients in an objective and accountable way and provide a challenging and supportive work environment to staff. These statements guide our policies, decisions and daily work.
- Service — We provide service that is responsive, adaptive and based on client needs.
- Objectivity — We perform our work in a professional manner that promotes an objective approach to environmental management.
- Integrity — We act in a truthful, ethical and transparent manner.
- Excellence — We encourage innovation, creative solutions and a culture of continuous learning.
- Accountability — We are efficient and effective in our work and accountable to the Legislature and the public for results.
- Wellness — We believe in a working environment that promotes health and well-being, and allows staff to achieve their highest potential.
Ministry Organization
The Ministry of Environment currently has seven divisions to support the programs, services, and initiatives carried out by its six core business areas. The Strategic Policy Division and Corporate Service Division are represented as one core business area under Executive and Support Services. Figure 1 shows the ministry's organizational structure and the main responsibilities for each division. For a more detailed overview of core business area responsibilities, see the Service Delivery and Core Business Areas section of this report.
Figure 1. Ministry of Environment organizational structure
