B.C. government scrapping proposed Land Act amendments

The B.C. government says it is scrapping proposed changes to the Land Act to allow for more engagement with the public.

The British Columbia government says it is dropping proposed changes to the Land Act.

The province was in the midst of public consultations over changes to the act, which would have allowed the province to create shared decision-making agreements with First Nations over land use.

The changes were proposed as a part of work by the province to update B.C. laws to bring them in line with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

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The proposed changes have sparked controversy in recent weeks, including allegations they would have allowed a First Nations veto on land use decisions. The government denies those claims, along with allegations the changes would force the government to enter any agreements with First Nations.

The changes, according to the province, are intended to ensure “respectful partnerships” with First Nations that would allow long-term predictability in land use.

In a Wednesday statement, Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Minister Nathan Cullen said the decision to pull back from the changes emerged from discussions with hundreds of stakeholder groups.

“Some figures have gone to extremes to knowingly mislead the public about what the proposed legislation would do,” he said.

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“They have sought to divide communities and spread hurt and distrust. They wish to cling to an approach that leads only to the division, court battles and uncertainty that have held us back.”

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Cullen maintained that the proposed changes would have had no effect on tenures, renewals, private properties or access to Crown land.

However, he conceded that the government needs to “take the time to further engage with people and demonstrate the real benefits of shared decision-making in action.”

“We want to get this right and move forward together,” Cullen said.

Cullen said the province would continue to consult with businesses, the public and First Nations, and remains committed to finding a way to partner with Indigenous communities to ensure “stability and predictability” in land use.