Whereas in 2022 UBCM endorsed resolutions calling on the Province of BC to work in cooperation with First Nations to enact species at risk legislation and to work towards new legislation to protect and restore biological diversity and ecosystem health; And whereas in November 2022 the Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Council released the Wild Species 2020: The General Status of Species in Canada Report which documents an increased risk of extinction for 700 species in British Columbia in the last five years; And whereas in December 2022, Canada joined 195 countries in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework which aims to halt and reverse global biodiversity loss by 2030: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM call upon the Province of British Columbia to urgently proceed with legislation, informed by new agreements and reports, co-developed with First Nations, that enables legal and financial mechanisms for the protection of biodiversity, ecosystem health, and species at risk in British Columbia.
Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship The Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship WLRS is working closely with the Ministry of Forests FOR to implement all 14 recommendations of the 2020 strategic review report A New Future for Old Forests. A key component of this work is leading the collaborative development of a Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework the Framework with First Nations. The Framework will set policy intent and serve as a catalyst for a paradigm shift in the way we think about biodiversity, helping to ensure our ecosystems and communities remain healthy and resilient in light of climate change and other threats. The Framework will create a vision and tools to support the prioritization of ecosystem health and the conservation of biodiversity and species at risk. It will help align ongoing initiatives that support ecosystem health and biodiversity e.g., Together for Wildlife Strategy, Watershed Security Strategy, support the commitment to achieving the goal of 30 protection of BCs land base by 2030, and will align with the Global Biodiversity Framework. The draft Framework includes a commitment to co-developing with First Nations new legislation and updates to existing legislation. It also includes a commitment to work with local governments and British Columbians as part of a whole of society approach, to support the conservation and restoration of biodiversity. The draft Framework was released on November 15, 2023. Consultation with First Nations and engagement with industry, local governments, and Non-Government Organizations was conducted via virtual webinars between November 15, 2023, and January 31, 2024. These included two local government specific sessions. The Framework will be finalized in spring 2024, followed by co-development of the related legislation. URLs A New Future for Old Forests: https:www2.gov.bc.caassetsgovfarming-natural-resources-and-industryfore… draft Framework: https:www2.gov.bc.caassetsgovenvironmentbiodiversity-habitat-management…