Energy and Mines News:

2008 Oil And Gas Rights Sales A Record $2.66 Billion

The December sale of oil and gas rights resulted in a total of over $91.7 million in bonus bids, bringing the 2008 calendar year total to a record high $2.66 billion and building on the fiscal year record of $2.38 billion, it was recently announced. See News Release.

Forest and Environment News:

Amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation for Jan. 1, 2009

WorkSafeBC's Board of Directors has approved amendments to Parts 1, 4, 5, 14, 17, 20, 22, 23 and 26 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. All amendments, except those relating to avalanche assessment in Part 4, come into force on January 1, 2009 and are included in this Reporter.

New Regulation Amendment to Allow the Surrender of Woodlot Licences

A notice issued by the Federation of British Columbia Woodlot Associations states that the Woodlot Licence Regulation under the Forest Act has been amended to authorize the surrender of woodlot licences (WLs). Under the new amendment, a licensee can submit a letter to the district manager or regional manager indicating a desire to surrender their WL and the Forest Service must accept the request to surrender after all legal and financial obligations have been completed or the WL holder provides security to ensure the completion of outstanding obligations. These recent amendments came into force on December 9th and are included in this Reporter.

Value-added wood companies to get their own timber supply

A forestry program for value-added manufacturers was reintroduced recently, five years after Victoria froze it during a major restructuring of forest policy. See the CBC news story.

Report Surveys Possible Sea Change For B.C. Coast

The Province of British Columbia has released a report on projected sea level changes in an effort to help B.C.'s coastal communities prepare for climate change and its serious effects, such as flooding, it was recently announced. See the News Release.

Forest Sector Bailout?

Canada's forest industry has a few demands of its own for Ottawa's consideration. The Forest Products Association of Canada wants to see 5 things in January's budget:

• access to credit
• investment tax incentives
• investment in research, products, and marketing
• development of bio-energy
• extension of the federal work-sharing program beyond the current 38 weeks to preserve jobs and employment insurance benefits

Provincial Land Use Planning: Which way from here?

The Forest and Range Practices Act, and the management regime surrounding it, are critical tools in the implementation of strategic land use planning. It is within that context that the Forest Practices Board provides this special report which:

1. summarizes the history, and clarifies the current status, of strategic land use planning;
2. enumerates mechanisms to implement plan objectives; and
3. assesses the extent to which those mechanisms have been, and are likely to be, applied.

B.C. Government Releases Compliance Summary

The Ministry of Environment has released the third Quarterly Compliance and Enforcement Summary for 2008. View the Information Bulletin.

Health News:

Changes To Health Profession Act Intended to Improve Accountability

Over the next seven months, the professions of pharmacy, chiropractic, medicine, dentistry and optometry will transition under the Health Professions Act, providing a consistent approach to health profession regulation in B.C., it was recently announced. See the News Release.

Speech And Hearing Regulatory College Created

The professions of audiology, speech-language pathology and hearing instrument dispensing will come under the Health Professions Act through a new regulatory college for speech and hearing professionals it was recently announced. See the News Release.

Labour and Company News:

Amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation for Jan. 1, 2009

WorkSafeBC's Board of Directors has approved amendments to Parts 1, 4, 5, 14, 17, 20, 22, 23 and 26 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. All amendments, except those relating to avalanche assessment in Part 4, come into force on January 1, 2009 and are included in this Reporter.

Proposed Harmonization of the Liquor Control and Licensing Regulation/Working Alone or in Isolation

WorksafeBC's Board of Directors has approved taking to the 2009 public hearing an adjustment to Part 4 relating to working alone or in isolation. The proposed adjustment to the regulation regarding working alone will harmonize it to the requirements of the Liquor Control and Licensing Regulation: Late night hours will be defined as being between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., rather than between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. With regard to the one-hour differential, the general duties of the law remain in effect as do the specific requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation that address violence prevention and safe work practices. See the WorksafeBC site.

Labour Bulletin – Click here for Staples McDannold Stewart's Labour Bulletin with the article "Employer's Duty to Accommodate Disabled, Including Chronically Ill, Employees".

Local Government News:

Communities Encouraged To Bid As Host To Canada Games

The Province is inviting all British Columbia communities to consider a bid to host the 2015 Canada Winter Games and attend an information session on the bid process, it was recently announced. Hosting an event of this calibre generates significant economic activity in the host community, builds the community's volunteer capacity and showcases their town or city to the rest of Canada. See the News Release.

Motor Vehicle News:

Changes to the Non-Resident Quarterly Permit Weight Threshold and the Repeal of the Peace River Farm Agreement

The CVSE released a circular to advise that as of January 1, 2009, BC is making the following commercial vehicle licensing changes:

• increasing the weight threshold for intra-jurisdictional travel under the Non-Resident Quarterly Permit (NRQP) to 11,794 kg licensed gross vehicle weight; and
• repealing the Peace River Farm Agreement (PRFA)
.