British Columbia Trades Away Outdoor Recreation Rights to Continue Industrial Encroachment in The Peace Region


Surrey, British Columbia- February 11, 2022


The BC Wildlife Federation is concerned that a tentative agreement between Treaty 8 First Nations and the provincial government will result in a 50% reduction of moose harvest and complete closure of caribou hunting for resident hunters in Northeast BC. This tentative agreement represents a radical departure from science-based wildlife management.
The Supreme Court of British Columbia ruled late last year that the Blueberry River First Nation’s treaty rights to hunt, trap and fish in their territory have been breached “by allowing industrial development in Blueberry’s territory at an extensive scale.”
But rather than addressing the problem of industrial encroachment, the provincial government pursued secret negotiations that have resulted in a substantial reduction in access by BC resident hunters to the affected region, a 50 per cent reduction in the harvest of moose and a total closure of caribou hunting in the Peace-Liard River region of northeastern BC.


The agreement has dramatic implications for outdoor recreationists, hikers, campers, anglers, and hunters in every corner of British Columbia for all future generations.


“We are gravely concerned that the province is negotiating away outdoor recreation instead of confronting the court decision dealing with cumulative effects of unsustainable resource extraction,” BCWF Executive Director Jesse Zeman.
There is no conservation rationale for the government’s approach.
“The Peace region has the highest density moose populations in the province. The province’s own data indicates hunting is sustainable and that licensed hunter harvest is extremely low. What every single person who enjoys camping, hiking, fishing and hunting should understand is that the province is willing to negotiate them away in favour of Site C, logging, and oil and gas,” he said.
The BC Wildlife Federation fully supports the rights of First Nations to hunt and fish in their traditional territories for food, social and ceremonial purposes and the commitment to conservation and habitat restoration is shared between First Nations and non-First Nations.
“For years both Treaty 8 Nations and the BCWF have pushed the provincial government to focus on wildlife management, controlled burns and habitat restoration in the region. In several cases, our clubs and partners have done all the work the province should be doing, even paying for controlled burns only to have the government refuse to approve them. Now, after years of failing to do anything for wildlife, the province appears to be dividing First Nations and non-indigenous communities instead of bringing us together,” said Zeman.


In effect, the provincial government has traded away the rights of British Columbians in order to continue unsustainable industrial resource extraction, a process that has already compromised the ability of Treaty 8 First Nations to exercise their right to hunt, trap and fish and to maintain their way of life.
In taking this path, the provincial government has walked away from science-based wildlife management and is telling British Columbians it is willing to trade away their access to BC’s natural assets and outdoor recreation opportunities in order to continue unsustainable levels of resource extraction.


According to the court’s ruling, “the cumulative effects from a range of provincially authorized activities, projects and developments (associated with oil and gas, forestry, mining, hydroelectric infrastructure, agricultural clearing and other activities) within and adjacent to their traditional territory that has resulted in significant adverse impacts on the meaningful exercise of their treaty rights, and that amount to a breach of the Treaty.”


According to the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, “as part of the [interim] agreement, 195 forestry and oil and gas projects, which were permitted or authorized prior to the court decision and where activities have not yet started, will proceed.”
“The dramatic curtailment of access to healthy wildlife populations in the Peace could have unintended spillover effects if this agreement is used as a template to restrict outdoor recreation in other regions,” said Zeman.

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MEDIA CONTACT
Jesse Zeman Executive Director BC Wildlife Federation
(250) 878-3799
jessezeman@gmail.com