This page contains annotated news stories and press releases with commentary about land reform and the democratic process in British Columbia. Our comments are shown in red.
B.C. too quick to approve land deals: AG
Jul 16, 2008The B.C. government was too quick to allow private land to be removed from tree farm licences, says the province's auditor general.
John Doyle's damning report released Wednesday says a decision by Forests Minister Rich Coleman to allow the land to be removed from three Vancouver Island tree farm licences was made without sufficient information or consultation and without enough attention paid to the public interest.
"I am not criticizing the policy of allowing licensees to remove their private land from TFLs, but I expect that such decisions will be thoroughly informed and stakeholders will be consulted," Doyle said.
Public pressure, including this July 11 rally at the downtown library branch, has continued about subdivision of forested lands.
Public pressure, including this July 11 rally at the downtown library branch, has continued about subdivision of forested lands.
"In this case the minister's decision was based on an incomplete analysis."
Public pressure, including this July 11 rally at the downtown library branch, has continued about subdivision of forested lands.View Larger Image View Larger Image Public pressure, including this July 11 rally at the downtown library branch, has continued about subdivision of forested lands.
Doyle, in his first major report since his appointment last fall, said documents show Coleman made his decision based on a five-page briefing not and a one-page evaluation of Western Forest Products financial health.
"There was no explanation of how allowing the land removal was in the public interest," he said.
Doyle's report, conducted after a public outcry and a request by the University of Victoria's Environmental Law Clinic, acting on behalf of the Sea-to Sea Greenbelt Society, looks at Coleman's decision in January 2007 to allow Western Forest Products to remove 28,000 hectares of private land from three Vancouver Island tree farm licences.
Western Forest Products immediately put sensitive waterfront lands, stretching from the Sooke Potholes to Port Renfrew, on the market and provisionally sold more than 2,000 hectares to developer Ender Ilkay.
John Doyle's damning report released Wednesday says a decision by Forests Minister Rich Coleman to allow the land to be removed from three Vancouver Island tree farm licences was made without sufficient information or consultation and without enough attention paid to the public interest.
"I am not criticizing the policy of allowing licensees to remove their private land from TFLs, but I expect that such decisions will be thoroughly informed and stakeholders will be consulted," Doyle said.
Public pressure, including this July 11 rally at the downtown library branch, has continued about subdivision of forested lands.
Public pressure, including this July 11 rally at the downtown library branch, has continued about subdivision of forested lands.
"In this case the minister's decision was based on an incomplete analysis."
Public pressure, including this July 11 rally at the downtown library branch, has continued about subdivision of forested lands.View Larger Image View Larger Image Public pressure, including this July 11 rally at the downtown library branch, has continued about subdivision of forested lands.
Doyle, in his first major report since his appointment last fall, said documents show Coleman made his decision based on a five-page briefing not and a one-page evaluation of Western Forest Products financial health.
"There was no explanation of how allowing the land removal was in the public interest," he said.
Doyle's report, conducted after a public outcry and a request by the University of Victoria's Environmental Law Clinic, acting on behalf of the Sea-to Sea Greenbelt Society, looks at Coleman's decision in January 2007 to allow Western Forest Products to remove 28,000 hectares of private land from three Vancouver Island tree farm licences.
Western Forest Products immediately put sensitive waterfront lands, stretching from the Sooke Potholes to Port Renfrew, on the market and provisionally sold more than 2,000 hectares to developer Ender Ilkay.
