Whereas the Province of British Columbia does not currently have legislation protecting the paleontological resources and fossil record of this province; And whereas this lack of legislation has led to the unregulated export of these resources and records out of province; And whereas the retention and preservation of these resources and records should be an important goal of the Province of British Columbia: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the provincial government of British Columbia to enact legislation that both protects and preserves the paleontological resources and fossil record of our province, and contains provision for the establishment of authorized fossil repositories in the province.
Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resources The Province is proud of the work it has done to protect fossils and significant fossil sites like the Burgess Shale, Driftwood Canyon Provincial Park andmost recentlythe McAbee fossil beds. We have taken steps to ensure that fossils are protected and properly managed, including developing and implementing a comprehensive fossil management framework, which recognizes both the heritage value of fossils and the need to protect significant fossil sites. Currently, fossil finds are regulated and protected under a range of legislation including the Land Act, Park Act, Heritage Conservation Act, Ecological Reserve Act, Protected Areas of British Columbia Act, Wildlife Act and the Environment and Land Use Act. The Royal B.C. Museum houses the Provinces official fossil repository.