Whereas Range Tenure holders are concerned with the lack of service that is offered by the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, including a lack of staff with experience or training in ranching related issues, high turnover, and unreasonable delays in communications and approvals; And whereas ranchers are faced with numerous delays in approvals for fence installation due to the removal of natural boundaries by third party operators; And whereas ranchers are facing hardships and are unable to properly manage their tenures due to a lack of qualified staff who can assist ranchers with range burning applications: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM petition the Province to bring up staffing levels in the range department so that grazing tenures or license issues are dealt with more timely and efficiently to prevent entire grazing seasons being lost.
Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development The livestock industry is a key component of BCs economy and integral to contributing to a stable food supply within the province and it is recognized that the Crown Range Program administered by the Ministry is integral to the success of this industry in the Province. The Peace Natural Resource District range program has undergone significant turnover during the past number of years. This turnover has led to occasions when the program was not fully staffed, or staff were being trained. This has created administrative challenges which the Peace Natural Resource District is addressing by reviewing and updating existing processes and introducing new tracking measures for applications and pending decisions. First Nations continue to express an increased interest in authorizations related to range tenures. A key priority of the Ministry is reconciliation with First Nations and ensuring that First Nations have more involvement in decisions on the landbase that may affect them. Ensuring full participation in Consultation, and ensuring concerns related to Treaty and aboriginal rights are addressed will likely result in instances where standard permitting timelines take longer than they have historically. Range program staff are also continuing to support other priority work related to First Nations such as Treaty Land Entitlement land transfers where selected areas overlap with active range tenures. The Peace Natural Resource District is continuing to work with Range tenure holders, forestry companies, and the Oil Gas Commission on increasing the awareness of potential impacts to range tenure holders from overlapping activities, and working with those industries to implement measures to mitigate the impacts of those activities on range tenure holders. The Peace Natural Resource District is implementing changes in application requirements for Range Use Plans and application packages for prescribed fire activities that are Provincial in nature. These changes are intended to increase stewardship of these activities on the landbase and to be consistent with the scope of practice of resource professionals regulated under the Foresters Act and the Agrologists Act. Peace Natural Resource District Staff are continuing to work with Range tenure holders to increase their understanding of these requirements in order to submit complete and adequate applications. The Ministry remains committed to engaging with the livestock industry to explore their interests and concerns.