BC’s Minister of Lands and Natural Resources is touring Northwest BC on a land planning tour - consulting with local nations on how lands will be used in the future.
Minister Randene Neill says the goal is to define where to conserve and where to build - and to navigate that in partnership with local nations and communities.
“I think that what’s remarkable, especially in this case in the Northwest, is that community has been asking for this for a long time. They’ve been asking for clarity and certainty and predictability. So they’ve been talking to their communities. And so they’ve already defined, many of the values that we’re looking to achieve. And so what our job is now is in the next year to come up and work with them, work with the community, work with the outdoor rec community, and, and really say, okay, what values are important to you in this area?”
Neill says that’s when the process starts.
“Within 12 months, we hope to have land use plans. For four specific areas for the Thaltan, for the Taku River Tlingit, for the Kaska, and for Gitanyow and for the Meziadin specifically, in that area, which is stunning, we were up there yesterday.”
The province says they are engaging with industry, community and other partners to implement what they call world-leading land-use plans that will provide greater certainty for investors, first nations and communities alike.
Neill acknowledged that overlap of the nations involved might result in conflicting opinions.
“We’re going to start with what we can agree on and work on protecting that area. And then overlap is a big issue. And, and it’s something that needs to be discussed. And there needs to be long conversations about and the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation plays a big role in that. And the nations play a big role in that. But our job right now is just to define those values. Specific areas, everybody can agree we can work on, economic growth or we can work on conservation. But it is all done under the lens of reconciliation.”
The group’s tour of the North started with a flight to Whitehorse, then they drove down to Terrace over the course of a week, making stops to visit in communities across the Northwest.
“So we started in Atlin and then Watson Lake and Dease Lake. And New Aiyansh yesterday… And so it’s been amazing. Just, you know, what I would have said before, that where I live in the Sunshine Coast is the most beautiful place in B.C.. But, I’ve changed my mind. I think this area is so absolutely stunning.”
Neill also raved about the cuisine she got to try while in the region – saying the fresh-caught trout meal and rhubarb pie with homemade ice cream from Scoop Lake Outfitters was the best meal she’d eaten in years.