Provincial minister of forests, lands, natural resource operations and rural development Doug Donaldson joined Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons for an NDP-hosted event at Wildwood Public House on Wednesday, April 24, to speak about his ministry’s work.
Donaldson, first elected as MLA for Stikine in 2009, noted that he and Simons worked together for eight years in opposition while the BC Liberals were in office.
“We’re in government now, and it really is something to behold that we can make a difference at the policy level,” Donaldson told attendees. “We can make a difference with legislation, regulations and with policy, and we’re doing that.”
Donaldson explained that his ministry comprises a broad range of policy areas, and said that implementing all the changes his government wanted to make would take time.
“After 16 years of having a different perspective from the government, I realize there’s a lot of pent-up energy to make changes more quickly,” he said.
However, the minister said changes to the Forest and Range Practices Act and Forest Act would be forthcoming on the government’s legislative agenda.
“These will place public interest criteria on the trading of forest tenures between major licensees,” explained Donaldson. “We’re intent on putting the public back in the management of a publicly held resource.”
During his visit, Donaldson met with local businesses and Tla’amin Nation to discuss forestry issues. The minister also met with qathet Regional District to discuss FireSmart activities, which are designed to prepare communities for the dry season.
“It was good the minister came to visit Powell River; we’re a forest-centred community and his willingness to meet with community members is one of the things that I find most refreshing about our new government,” said Simons in an interview after the event. “He had the opportunity to see how the FireSmart money is being spent. He got to talk to some workers from the mill who repeated their thanks for government’s efforts to keep it open with new owners.”
After two consecutive years of record-breaking wildfire seasons, new preparation measures introduced by the provincial government include $101 million in additional funding for the BC Wildfire Service, as well as a $50 million Community Resilience Investment program.
Powell River-Sunshine Cost BC NDP Riding Association, meanwhile, hailed an “amazing turnout” at Wednesday’s event, and thanked attendees for supporting local businesses and meeting with Simons and Donaldson.
