Whereas the Province of British Columbia has adopted the use of a cumulative effects framework to help identify and manage cumulative effects across the natural resource sector; And whereas the cumulative effects framework allows for the inclusion of marine values but the Province has not yet approved any marine values for cumulative effects assessment to inform decision making in coastal regions: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request the provincial government to prioritize the approval of key marine cumulative effects values for long-term monitoring and cumulative effects assessments in coastal regions.
Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development The Province of British Columbia is currently implementing the Interim Cumulative Effects Framework CEF throughout the province. There are five provincial CEF values that are assessed provincially Grizzly Bear, Aquatic Ecosystems, Old Growth Forest, Moose, and Forest Biodiversity along with multiple regionally-specific values. Ministry staff are currently scoping additional provincial values including the adoption of marine values in coastal regions. Work underway at regional levels and through collaborative initiatives with First Nations such as the Environmental Stewardship Initiative and the Marine Plan Partnership may provide the foundation for assessing marine values through a collaborative approach.