Whereas illegal dumping of waste on private and crown land continues to be an issue across the Province resulting in unsightly, unsanitary and potentially dangerous refuse deposits in natural rural areas that should be protected and preserved for public enjoyment in supernatural British Columbia; And whereas the problem of illegal dumping is an area of shared jurisdiction between multiple Provincial Ministries including Environment and Climate Change Strategy, and Forest, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, which results in decreased accountability and gaps in service: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the provincial government to designate a single Ministry as responsible for regulation of illegal dumping in the Province, including enforcement of said regulations and cleanup and removal of dumped waste; And be it further resolved that UBCM respectfully request that the Province provide adequate funding to the designated Ministry to ensure minimum staffing levels can be maintained in all areas of the Province to address the issue of illegal dumping.
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, through the Conservation Officer Service COS, and the Report all Poachers and Polluters RAPP service 1-877-952-7277, https:forms.gov.bc.caenvironmentrapp is the lead provincial government agency for responding to complaints of illegal dumping. The COS takes appropriate action based upon officer availability and available evidence collected at the scene and responds accordingly. This can include working with the Natural Resource Officers from the Ministry of Forest, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, to respond to a complaint. The issue of illegal dumping is a shared responsibility among all involved and efforts are continuing. Under the authority of the Environmental Management Act, local governments in British Columbia address waste management practices, including illegal dumping, in their solid waste management plans. Local law enforcement, provincial conservation officers and by-law enforcement officers can issue tickets when incidents are brought to their attention. Private land and forestry owners can restrict access and report areas and incidents. Private citizens, community and outdoor groups, and the media often profile illegal dumping incidents and associated community clean-up events. To support these efforts, the province continues to undertake work on waste prevention and waste management programs, including the recent announcement to include additional items of concern in reported illegal dumping incidents e.g., mattresses in Extended Producer Responsibility under the Recycling Regulation. As part of the stewardship planning processes, stewardship agencies must demonstrate how the public will be made aware of the free return options available to them. The provincial government will continue to work with local governments to identify solutions to this challenging problem, including exploring opportunities for improving illegal dumping reporting options; enforcing compliance when resources are available; and identifying actions under the Environmental Management Act and through the Solid Waste Management Planning process.