Resiliency & Change in BC Forests
from UBCM
BC's forests, forest industry and its forest dependent communities are in the midst of a transition that is unprecedented, delegates to the forests policy session heard on Tuesday afternoon [September 24th]. Presenters confirmed and described the present crisis and pointed to signs of hope for rural communities.

Forests Minister Doug Donaldson reminded attendees that BC's rural communities and its larger cities are all dependent on forestry.

At least 22 mills in BC's interior have either closed or curtailed their operations this year. "We need to manage our forests differently to create more resiliency in face of climate pressures, addressing carbon issues, water issues and many other issues," Donaldson said. Citing engineered wood and improved skills and training, he invited attendees to embrace his vision of a brighter future for forestry communities based on a newfound maturity focused on value rather than volume.

An expert forestry panel addressed the compounded issues and opportunities that forest-dependent communities face. All presenters acknowledged the commitment, talent and expertise of BC's professional foresters as an invaluable asset in face of the crisis. Read the UBCM article.

Canada and BC Sign Impact Assessment
Cooperation Agreement
On September 5, 2019, Canada's Minister of Environment and Climate Change and British Columbia's Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy announced they have signed an Impact Assessment Cooperation Agreement (the "Cooperation Agreement"). The Cooperation Agreement provides a framework for cooperation between Canada and British Columbia on environmental assessments under the new federal Impact Assessment Act ("IAA") and British Columbia's new Environmental Assessment Act ("BCEAA") and is intended to implement the principle of 'one project, one assessment'.

The Cooperation Agreement updates existing agreements to provide for cooperation under the new federal and provincial legislation. The IAA came into force on August 28, 2019. Read the environmental bulletin published by Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP.

Amendments to Code of Practice for
Agricultural Management
The Code of Practice for Agricultural Management Regulation was amended on October 1, requiring a written risk assessment to be added as a condition for applying nutrient sources to land in a high-precipitation area during February, March or October.

Proposed Changes to Contaminated
Sites Regulation
The Province is proposing amendments to the Contaminated Sites Regulation that align with Bill 17, Environmental Management Amendment Act. Bill 17 was introduced and received royal assent in May 2019 and addressed changes to the provisions for site identification in the Environmental Management Act. Read the UBCM article.

Forest Practices Board Releases Annual Report
The Forest Practices Board has released its annual report for the fiscal year 2018-19, providing an overview of the board's performance and work from April 2018 to March 2019.

Each year, the board randomly selects forestry operations for audit. In 2018, it published the results of 15 audits.

"Our auditors evaluate whether forest licensees are in compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act," said Kevin Kriese, chair, Forest Practices Board. "This year, four audits found no problems at all, while 11 found issues ranging from failing to comply with requirements for roads and bridges, to not carrying out fire hazard assessments following logging." Read the full news release on the BC Forest Practices Board website.

Environmental Appeal Board Decisions
There were four Environmental Appeal Board decisions in the month of September:

• Canadian National Railway Company; Canadian Pacific Railway Company; BNSF Railway Company v. Delegate of the Director, Environmental Management Act [Application for Confidentiality Order – Granted in Part]
• Princeton Standard Pellet Corporation v. Delegate of the Director, Environmental Management Act [Consent Order – Resolved] 
• Gibsons Alliance of Business and Community Society; Marcia Timbres v. Director, Environmental Management Act [Application for Summary Dismissal – Granted]
• MSP Transport Ltd. v. Director, Environmental Management Act  [Preliminary Issues of Jurisdiction – Allowed]

Visit the Environmental Appeal Board website for more information.

2019 BC Construction Health & Safety Conference
Don't miss this year's BC Construction Health & Safety Conference (formerly known as Bridging the Gap) happening October 24–25 in downtown Vancouver. Participants at the conference, which is presented by the BC Construction Safety Alliance (BCCSA), will learn about the following topics:

• Practical strategies to improve emotional intelligence and leverage it to build leadership skills.
• Effective approaches to address mental health stigma in the workplace and how to adapt to the evolving technological landscape.
• A recent UBC study on the use of dust-extraction vacuums in the B.C. construction industry.
• The new Builders Code initiative.
• Criminal prosecution in workplace incidents and how to effectively demonstrate due diligence.
• How to build the framework to regulate the health and safety profession under law in BC
• Strategies and ideas to plan and conduct more effective safety inspections.

For more details, read the WorkSafe BC announcement.