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The series contains miscellaneous administrative records from the Ministry of Environment (2005) and its predecessors.
The records document the history, mission and strategic priorities of the ministry and its branches as well as its organizational structures over the years. This includes the reorganization of the Planning and Assessment Branch. Furthermore, as part of a submission to the Enquiry B.C referral service, the records also contain presentations introducing the work of the ministry.

Some of the records in this series pertain to committees or ministerial meetings that deal directly with some sort of aspect of administration. For example, the Integrated Management Committee files located in this series show how the committee was formed and lay out its administrative organization. These records are classified under ARCS 102-20 Administration - Ministry meetings.

Other records in the series include those detailing the meetings between program and regional directors for all programs supported by the Ministry of Environment. These records include agenda items, minutes, summaries of goals and objectives and a review of activities.

The series also contains a Policy Log that assembles a list of memos relating to new policies put in place across the ministry and its branches. A collection of communications plans relates to how the ministry informed staff, the public and special interests groups about the new Bill 50 (Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act). The records include memos from FOI coordinators as well as correspondence and information kits meant to summarize changes to information requests.

The series include three 'transition resources books' which were created for directors in charge of announcing the new divisional and branch/regional structure phases to their employees. This restructuring was announced by the ministry in 1996. The briefing books include updated organizational charts, functions, logistics and action plans, employee letter templates, employee lists and minutes from conference calls with the Deputy Minister and meetings with the Senior Management Committee. Several more organizational charts, histories and agreements are included that focus on the transfer of functions of the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks (MELP) to either the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management and the Ministry of Fisheries. As the Resource Inventory Branch and Aquatic Information Branch were transferred from MELP to the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management, several early documents pertaining to the management of Pacific salmon are included in this series which includes working group files, stock assessments, and discussion papers. This also includes some legal files related to First Nations fishing rights.

A few administrative records stemming from the Environmental Protection Office are also included in this series. Files classified under ARCS 747 - Firearms includes a list of requests to authorize ministry employees to carry and use firearms as part of their work. These requests include the name of the employee, the purposes of their firearm (e.g. personal safety while working in bear country, collection of wildlife specimens, destroy injured wildlife, wilderness survival, scare wildlife, immobilization), description of the firearm (e.g. make/model), authorization signatures and on occasions, a short description written by the application regarding their experience and training in handling firearms. The applications are accompanied by the written policy on firearms.

Additionally, there are Ombudsman investigations files dealing with a dispute for fines issued under the Waste Management Act.

This series consists of a variety of graphic materials from the BC Parks in-house materials master files from 1937-2008. The files include mock-ups, drafts and finished examples of activity books, pamphlets, signs, badges, stickers, logos, name tags and pins for use in parks programming or display in Provincial Parks.

Pre-2000 records include park trail guides and maps including wildlife watching pamphlets and other special interest activities popular in provincial parks. The series also includes Canada Parks Day graphic design samples, parks news releases and press clippings, promotional materials including stickers, bumper stickers, pins, colouring pages, activities for children, road maps, camping site information and things to do in the area. There are also visitor guides, brochures, interpretive trail guides, and a limited amount of correspondence. Records cover provincial parks around the whole province, though some may be missing.
While some records do not appear to be organized in a specific way, maps, trail guides and related pamphlets are organized to some extent by region and year of publication.

The series contains records related to the management of provincial parks and protected recreational areas in British Columbia.

The records provide extensive background information on Provincial Parks areas, notably Junction Sheep Range Provincial Park, Marble Range Provincial Park, Edge Hills Provincial Park, Churn Creek protected area, Big Creek Provincial Park, Hakai Recreation Area, Ten Mile Lake and other areas in the Cariboo district. There are many photographic prints mixed in with the records, as well as other media (copies of maps, floppy disks, ephemera). The records provide important evidence of the BC Parks Division’s functions and activities in relation to park identification, establishment, management, operation and control of parks and other protected areas.
The series also contains copies of recreation related management plans and conservation related management plans, as well as original maps and published histories of BC Parks. Management plans include feasibility studies, cost analyses, contract details and plan information.

The records are arranged according to the BC Parks Operation Records Classification System (ORCS schedule 113827) and its successor the Parks and Protectes Areas Records Classification System (schedule 186896). Some common primary and secondary numbers from this series are:

82800-10: Graphic Materials Collection.
The records in this series classified under this number relate to park-related graphic materials, including original copies of brochures and reports used for publication. This includes copies of the BC Parks Guide and related records concerning their development and publication.

83500-00: Interpretive, Information, and Education programs
The records classified under this number related to various visitor programs for adults, families, children and schools organized by BC Parks. The records include information concerning the program objectives, activities, learning outcomes, schedules and attendance data. There is also information about instructors, budget, requests from schools, and thank you letters.

84360-40: Land-Management Plans - Parks and Recreation areas
The records classified under this number relate to approved park and recreation area management plan files and document the history of individual British Columbia parks and recreation areas, as well as the land-use activities permitted in those areas.

The records comprise mainly of large folders of background information relating to specific parks. They contain various analytical reports, inventories and studies on soil, wildlife, landscape and flora. Other types of records found in these folders are land value appraisals, land referrals, leases and Resource Use Permits, meeting agendas, briefing notes and correspondence referrals, management plans and progress reports, workshops, correspondence and reports on land-use recommendations.

A limited number of files also contain extensive correspondence and related files dealing with park issues, notably possible violations of the Park Act. These include legal services requisitions.

This series contains survey reports created by BC Parks. The majority of these reports were done to assess customer satisfaction during park day visits and overnight campground stays. They document visitor satisfaction trends, importance rankings of services and facilities and offer comparisons to other years as well as recommendations for improving visitor experience. This series also includes employee satisfaction survey reports in which BC Parks assesses the overall working culture at the agency and Visitor Programs annual reports which detail program and visitor centre visits, as well as recommendations for special programs, budgets etc. Finally the series also includes survey reports from Provincial Parks and Wilderness for the 90s which was an initiative that sought better management of protected areas for the purpose of conservation and recreation. These surveys allowed visitors to express their views on the program, ask questions and offer suggestions for future protected areas. The first 1,600 or so are written on a standard survey form typically submitted by individuals from the public. Later responses were sent letter-style on regular paper and are typically from organizations, businesses and non-profits. Some surveys include attached articles or pictures to support the views of the writer. The responses have been coded by a Parks employee to easily compile relevant information and are arranged by date received.

Some other survey reports that were conducted either by BC Parks or for BC Parks by external agencies are included in this series. This includes a BC Consumer Omnibus survey on outdoor recreation and other household surveys in which members of the public were asked to respond to a survey detailing their experience and opinion regarding outdoor recreation in BC. The results of these surveys were meant to inform BC Parks on future developments and business strategies.
Typically, files include a blank copy of the original survey as well as a written report summarizing the results and findings.
Other forms of documents related to or created from information found in the survey reports may also be found in this series such as briefing summaries for the Minister.

The series consists of the major investigation case files of the Conservation Officer Service. These records document the major investigative work of Conservation Officers, who are Special Provincial Constables under the Police Act (RSBC 1996, c. 367) in BC. They are trained and authorized to investigate complaints and incidents and to charge offenders. The records relate to investigating and enforcing suspected cases of noncompliance with the following federal acts and related regulations, which currently fall under the Conservation Officer Service (COS) mandate: Canada Shipping Act, 2001 (SC 2001, c. 26), Criminal Code (RSC 1985, c. C-46), Fisheries Act (RSC 1985, c. F-14), Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 (SC 1994, c. 22), Species at Risk Act (SC 2002, c. 29), Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act (SC 1992, c. 52) and the following provincial acts and related regulations: Creston Valley Wildlife Act (RSBC 1996, c. 84), Dike Maintenance Act (RSBC 1996, c. 95), Ecological Reserve Act (RSBC 1996, c.103), Environmental Assessment Act (SBC 2002, c. 43), Environmental Management Act (SBC 2003, c. 53), Firearm Act (RSBC 1996, c. 145), Fish Inspection Act (RSBC 1996, c. 148), Fisheries Act (RSBC 1996, c. 149), Forest Act (RSBC 1996, c. 157), Forest and Range Practices Act (SBC 2002, c. 69), Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act (RSBC 1996, c. 159), Integrated Pest Management Act (SBC 2003, c. 58), Land Act (RSBC 1996, c. 245), Liquor Control and Licensing Act (RSBC 1996, c. 267), Motor Vehicle Act (RSBC 1996, c. 318), Offence Act (RSBC 1996, c. 338), Off-Road Vehicle Act (SBC 2014, c. 5), Park Act (RSBC 1996, c. 344), Transport of Dangerous Goods Act (RSBC 1996, c. 458), Riparian Areas Protection Act (SBC 1997, c. 21), Trespass Act (RSBC 1996, c. 462), Water Protection Act (RSBC 1996, c. 484), Water Users' Communities Act (RSBC 1996, c. 483), portions of the Wildfire Act (SBC 2004, c. 31), and the Wildlife Act (RSBC 1996, c. 488). Major cases are serious in nature and address complex issues such as trafficking animal parts, big-game poaching, illegal fishing or guiding, or selling animals for human consumption that are procured illegally. These case are high profile, and may draw intense media and political attention. They include those that: are multi-jurisdictional and involve other levels of government and/or other jurisdictions; may involve elements of organized crime, and violations that fall outside the mandate of the COS; require specialized investigation techniques such as surveillance, canvassing, covert operations, and the use of Judicial Applications such as search warrants, tracking warrants, and Part 6 warrants; require the systematic collection, organization, and evaluation of large amounts of information and electronic data; and relate to serious forest crimes including arson, mischief, fraud and theft of natural resources. These records were created by the Conservation Officer Service part of the Enforcement program of the Ministry of the Environment and its predecessors, 1992-2007.

Major investigation case files are organized by case number, and for special investigations, by project name. A major case includes a variety of record types such as routing sheets, investigation documents, notes, dedicated major case notebooks, court documents (e.g., search warrants, subpoenas, arrest warrants and Crown Counsel disclosure packages, reports (e.g., final, subject, exhibit, expert, briefing, etc.), enforcement action records (e.g., tickets, warnings and orders), photographs, audio-visual records, ledgers, logs, statements, plans, approvals, correspondence, and supporting documentation)). These records are classified as major investigation cases (31010-40) under the Conservation Officer Service ORCS, 2017.

This series contains records from the Conservation Service Office, part of the Enforcement program of the Ministry of Environment and its predecessors. The series contains records related to the image/identity of the service, such as details on the establishment of their service flag, commemoration medals and motto. There are also records related to Conservation Officer job descriptions and job training which includes manuals and/or instructions related to writing reports, conducting investigations and handling firearms. The series also covers information related to special sections under the Enforcement program for commercial and industrial investigations.

This series contains records relating to assessing the environmental, economic, social, cultural, heritage and health impacts of energy projects under the Environmental Assessment Act. These records were created and kept by the Environment Assessment Office (EAO) that is involved in the entire process, providing advice and recommendations to the proponent.

The records in this series cover initial enquiries, reviewable and non-reviewable project enquiries. A non-reviewable project means that the proposed project may proceed without an environmental review. A project is determined to be non-reviewable if it does not meet or exceed the thresholds defined in the Reviewable Projects Regulation (B.C. Reg. 370/2002). Also, according to the Act (s. 10(1)(b)), a project which meets or exceeds these thresholds may also be deemed non-reviewable at the executive director’s discretion. Non-reviewable projects may also become reviewable if the proponent voluntarily asks for an environmental assessment (i.e., “opts in”) and the executive director agrees (s. 7) or if the minister deems the project to be reviewable.

All other projects which meet or exceed the thresholds are reviewable. For reviewable projects, terms of reference are created by the proponent, in consultation with the review agencies, in order to ensure that the application will contain the necessary information. Reports and studies are typically created by the proponent in order to fulfil the requirements of the Terms of Reference, but they may also be created by any other involved party at any stage in the review process. The application for an Environmental Assessment Certificate (EAC) is then submitted by the proponent and once the application meets the EAO’s standards, the formal review process begins. Application review includes: review by government agencies, First Nations, and the public; First Nation and public consultation; a formal public comment period; and opportunities for the proponent to respond to issues raised.

After the application review is complete, EAO staff prepare an Assessment Report for the minister, which documents the findings of the environmental assessment, including the issues raised in relation to the project and how these issues have been or could be addressed. The environmental assessment process concludes when a) The minister approves the EAC and the project proceeds, b) The minister rejects the project, c) The minister decides that no assessment is required, or d) The proponent withdraws the project. An EAC (previously known as a Project Approval Certificate [PAC]) may contain conditions to ensure that necessary mitigative and compensatory measures are in place to prevent or reduce any adverse effects of the project.

The records in this series document the business case for proposed projects, provide initial information to determine if projects meet the reviewable threshold or not, and documents the EAO ruling on whether or not the project is reviewable. Types of records that can be found in this series are certificates of public convenience and necessity, lists of options, applications for project approval certificates, memorandum, letters of intent for cooperation agreements (such as between a First Nations group and the proponent), correspondence, information notes, executive summaries of decisions, project descriptions, lists of environmental concerns (issue summaries), minutes of information presentation meetings, maps of proposed sites and a diverse range of reports and studies. Types of projects that appear in this series include natural gas pipelines, wind turbines, substation redevelopments, electric transmission systems, coal powered plants, hydroelectricity dams and others.

The records from accession 95-4252 and 95-5291 are classified under the Environmental Assessment Operational Records Classification System (Schedule 132564) and cover the following primary number:
30050: reviewable enquiries and projects – energy
And the following secondary numbers:
-05: non-reviewable energy project enquiries
-40: pre-application reviewable enquiry case files

The series consists of administrative records from the Enforcement and Environmental Emergencies Branch (and later the Enforcement Program) of the Ministry of Environment and its predecessors. Specifically, these records relate to committees of the ministry which worked in collaboration with or required the input of the Enforcement Program.

Within these files are records relating to the following committees or groups: States/British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force, Emergency Towing System Task Force, Forest Practices Code Steering Committee, Enforcement Corporate Committee, Enforcement Training Committee, Marine Spills Coordinating Committee, Spill Reporting Committee, Poaching Committee, Bear Human Conflict Committee, Municipal Sewage Regulations Implementation Committee, Compliance Committee, Conservation Office Service Management Team, Fish Hydro Committee, Forest Tech Working Group, and the Inter-Agency Enforcement Committee. The records are valuable in that they document the ministry’s responsibilities, preparation and response to environmental emergencies and violations of ministry legislation and regulations.
A large amount of these committees were created to evaluate different programs in the ministry. For example, the purpose of the Oil Spill Task Force was to examine marine oil spill prevention, response initiations and to make recommendations. This was an international endeavor with the participation of British Columbia and the states of Alaska, Washington, Oregon and California. The records document the progression of talks between participants on the subject.
The Corporate Committee records include their discussions regarding an Environment, Lands and Parks agenda for BC that would outline the priorities of the ministry while the Enforcement Evaluation Steering Committee records discuss how to evaluate the enforcement function ministry-wide. The committees’ records discussing administrative and prosecutorial enforcement activities aimed at protecting the environment, the public and property by encouraging compliance with ministry legislation and regulations, punishing offenders or deterring potential offenders and increasing public awareness. There are also records outlining initiatives to update training and equipment for conservation officers.
The types of records found in the series include meeting minutes, memos, news releases, correspondence, agenda, draft policy reports, risk analysis, conference papers, news clippings, proposals, presentations, studies, notes, financial estimates, reference material and publications. The following final reports are included in the records: Alternative Response Technologies - In Situ Burning and dispersants; Drills and Exercises - Recommendations to Prevent Marine Oil Spills Caused by Human Error; Oiled Wildlife Care Facilities; Dedicated Rescue Tug; Spill Reporting and Notification Alternatives in BC, among others.
The records are arranged according to ARCS Schedule 100001, primary 200 and secondary 20: Committees, General.

This series contains the correspondence referral replies of the Ministry of Environment and its predecessors from 1995-2009. Executive correspondence referral replies, also known as minister’s letters, include letters to the executive and their reply letters.

Correspondence deals with a variety of issues related to the environment. Some records record the concerns and complaints from the public about environmental factors, such as the presence of pollution clouds, bad odours or waste in the environment. Others relate to different initiatives and programs proposed by the ministry. A small number of Information Notes and Decision Notes sent internally to executive members of the Ministry are also in the records. There are also letters to the editor written by the Minister to various newspapers in response to articles concerning the Ministry or the environment.

Records are mainly arranged by referral (reference) number with each chain of correspondence filed in its own folder. There are cases in which multiple people wrote in the same complaint or concern; these letters have been filed in the same folder. Records from the Minister’s Office are arranged chronologically by the date of receipt with records arranged into folders by month. Some boxes contain file lists with either a list of the sender/recipient's name and/or the subject of the letter.

The series is arranged by accession number, which contains the records created by a particular office or executive. Currently, the series contains the following eight accessions:

Accession 96-3526 contains the correspondence from the Environment Protection Division of the ministry.

Accession 93-2700 contains correspondence from the Minister’s Office Correspondence Unit. Records consist mainly of interim responses, minister reply drafts sent to the minister for approval and signing, as well as direct replies written by the Environment Protection Division on behalf of the minister.

Accession 95-5840 contains the correspondence of B.C. Environment, Prince George office, specifically correspondence sent, copied or for reply by the Director of Omineca-Peace region, Environmental Protection.

Accession 96-0105 contains the correspondence of the Environmental Stewardship and Protected Areas Division, Lower Mainland Region.

Accession 96-3531 contains correspondence from the Water Stewardship Division, Lower Mainland Region.

Accession 96-3525 contains correspondence of the Environmental Stewardship Division, Lower Mainland Region. All files also contain copies of the original letters received.

Accession 93-0681 contains letters referred to the Minister for reply.

Accession 96-9659 contains correspondence referrals from the Biodiversity Branch with topics mainly concerning wildlife protection.

Accession 95-9854 contains records from the Minister's Office with topics related to environmental protection, environmental stewardship, water stewardship and conservation officer service.

Accession 96-0944 contains correspondence related to the enforcement program and include topics such as investigations into violations of environmental laws, memos regarding BC Conservation Officer Service achievements and misconduct complaints (includes appendices on their powers and responsibilities), letters from animal rights activists, wildlife-human conflicts and general services provided by the COS.

Records in this series are classified under ARCS number 280-30.

Series consists of ministry copies of freedom of information requests that were investigated by the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC). The files reflect the work of one government information and privacy office and that of the OIPC. There is also one file that represents a judicial appeal about one of the orders of the OIPC.

The freedom of information requests were processed by one Information and Privacy office that represented multiple ministries and related agencies. The files document requests for records from the Ministry of Environment, Land and Parks, Ministry of Water Land and Air Protection, Ministry of Sustainable Development, and Ministry of Environment, between 2000 and 2007.

The files consist of a copy of the original application for records, correspondence between staff and the applicant, correspondence between the ministry and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC), submissions to the OIPC, correspondence with the Legal Services Branch, and a copy of the OIPC order. These files also include photocopies of the requested pages. The files in this series were classified as 292-30 in the BC Government Operational Records Classification System (ORCS).

Ministry staff assigned a number to each of these files. Most files were assigned a number that consisted of a ministry prefix followed by a sequential number. Pre-2001 file numbers were assigned a number that reflected the year of the request followed by a sequential number.

The series consists of records relating to the development of land and resource management plans (LRMPs) vis-à-vis the consultation that occurred with First Nations during the planning process. Land and Resource Management Planning was developed in British Columbia in the 1990s as an integrated, sub-regional, consensus-building process to produce plans for review and approval by government. The plans established direction for land use and specified broad resource management objectives and strategies. LRMPs covered a number of resource sectors -- natural or social resources such as tourism, forestry or mining. The process included development, implementation, monitoring and the amendment of land and resource management plans.

The files in this series were titled and organized in most instances as case files and based on the name of the First Nations involved in the consultation process.

The records relate to the development of the consultation process between ministries and First Nation groups for LRMPs which included preparing terms of reference, conducting research and assessments, compiling and analyzing data, consulting with interested parties, presenting plan drafts, taking the proposed plan through the approval process, and monitoring after implementation.

Record types include correspondence, memoranda, recommendations including legal advice, discussion papers, draft agreements for discussion, presentations, community meeting records, maps, plans, drafts of agreements between the Province and First Nations, briefing notes prepared for the Minister and Deputy Minister, forest company information, among numerous other types of records.

The Archives has retained these records because they provide evidence of provincial policy advice and direction for the management of public lands and resources, and evidence of the consultation that occurred with First Nations groups during the resource planning process.

This series consists of a variety of executive records, including, briefing notes, decision notes, ministry Orders in Council, ministerial orders and Cabinet submissions from 1998-2005. The records were created by the Ministry of Environment and its predecessors, the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, and the Ministry of Water, Lands and Air Protection. The records were created by several offices for the information or decision of the Minister, Deputy Minister, the Assistant Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection, Assistant Deputy Minister of the Enforcement Programs, and other executive members of the ministries.

Records may address any subject related to the mandate of the ministries. The records are arranged by accession number, then by file code, then chronologically by date.

Accession 95-5839 contains briefing notes from the Parks Division. Briefing notes in yearly files are arranged by District, then month and day. The topics of the briefs concern the creation and development of new parks and conservations areas; the deletion, removal or transfer of park lands; the construction of infrastructure in parks including roads and powerlines; park use permits and fees; the changing uses of park lands for recreation; issues surrounding mining and logging in and around park lands; response to pine beetle infestations; safety concerns and accidents involving park visitors; changes to legislation; First Nations treaty negotiations regarding park land; as well as approval and development of park Master Plans and Management Plans.

Accession 95-7183 contains briefing notes from the Environmental Protection Division. The topics of the briefs concern waste control and management, environmental health, climate change, pollution prevention, recycling and waste disposal programs, among other related topics.

Accession 96-0944 contains briefing notes from the Enforcement program. The topics of these records mainly concern enforcement services regarding non-compliance with environmental standards, the Conservation Officer Service (including their training and firearms safety), contaminated sites, wildlife, and habitat protection as it relates to environmental laws.

Accession 95-8904 contains executive records from the Deputy Ministers Office. Records include briefing notes, decision notes, ministry Orders in Council (OICs), ministerial orders, Cabinet submissions, correspondence, and related reference material. Subjects and issues addressed may cover all programs and divisions of the ministry. Records may be addressed specifically to the Deputy Minister for their signature or approval, or they may be informational reference copies from the Minister of other Executives. Some of the records may be duplicated in other accessions.

Records in this series are classified under ARCS numbers 135-35, 135-60, 201-40 and 280-20.

This series contains statistical reports from BC Parks detailing parks attendance and use. The series contains four main types of forms: campground attendance sheets, marine park attendance sheets, automatic traffic counter sheet and day visit count sheets. These reports count the number of visitors renting campgrounds, docking their boats, or driving through the parks gate. The reports are also used to count revenues. Typically, reports include a section for explanations where Parks staff can add notes commenting on high/low attendance numbers due to factors such as weather and holidays.
One report discusses call center and website statistics, notably documenting how many interactions convert to sales.
Occasionally, there are reports submitted from companies operating businesses on BC Parks land (e.g. water rafting adventures) which includes attendance data.

Also within the series are files describing how the reporting system works. These records explain the use of different sheets, proper procedures for recording data (both by hand or using electronic systems), lists of parks per area and layouts of park services areas including locations of gates and counters. The records also contain instructions for using the Public Safety and Park Security Online System, though no actual security reports are included within the records.

The records are organized in different ways depending on the year. Most early records seem to divide reports into years, with reports covering all parks. Around 1970, the system changed to region-based reporting with files organized by region. Within these files, the records are further classified by park name. Finally, individual attendance sheet records are arranged by month and year. Some files include a summary of stats from all districts.

This series consists of committee files from the Environmental Stewardship Division (ESD) of the South Coast Region, 1991-2013. The records are those of Brian Clark, who worked as the Regional Manager of Fish, Wildlife & Habitat Protection, Ministry of Environment Lands and Parks; Regional Manager of the Environmental Stewardship Division, Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection; Regional Director of the Environmental Stewardship Division, Ministry of Environment; and Executive Director of the Resource Stewardship Division, Ministry of Forests, Lands & Natural Resource Operations. Clark also acted as Chair of Burrard Inlet Environmental Action Program (BIEAP) and Chair of Fraser River Estuary Management Program (FREMP); both of these programs ended in 2013.

The records in this series document the involvement of the environmental and resource stewardship south coast regional office in several interjurisdictional environmental advisory and planning committees, working groups, and initiatives. The committees address environmental issues relating to fish and wildlife habitat, air quality, climate change, water quality, aquatic ecology, vegetation, and terrain and soils in the Fraser Valley and Metro Vancouver area. The mandates and missions of the committees touch on the intergovernmental coordination of environmental issues, conserving agricultural and wildlife resources, and preventing the loss and degradation of coastal habitats.

Records include meeting minutes, correspondence, reports, studies, agreements, drafts, briefing notes, reference materials, financial records, agendas, presentations, annual reports, environmental assessment records and maps.

The series also includes a few files of legal materials from ESD, including correspondence, court records, briefing notes, reports, and records related to document discovery.

The records in this series relate to Water Use Plans in British Columbia.
In 1998 the province formally initiated a Water Use Planning (WUP) program. WUP is a cooperative effort involving BC Hydro, the provincial government, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and First Nations and other key interested parties. Guidelines were published describing steps required to complete and implement a water use plan. At each facility these plans attempt to define suitable operating parameters which balance environmental, social and economic values. The WUPs are intended to accommodate other water use interests through incremental changes in how existing water control facilities store and release water. WUP are not intended to be comprehensive watershed management plans to deal with water management issues associated with other activities in the watershed such as forestry and mining.

Each hydro facility had their own Consultative Committee of stakeholders, representing a range of interests. These committees held meetings with the aim to establish operating objectives for water use and management for the various water systems. Committee reports express their interests, values, and recommendations and document the consultative process. It is a supporting document meant to help inform and prepare BC Hydro’s Water Use Plan. This series contains both committee reports and the final version of BC Hydro’s Water Use Plans that were submitted to the Comptroller of Water Rights for review under the Water Act.
The reports include a system description (basins, rivers, dams, reservoirs etc.), methodology, hydro operation studies and results.

The series also contain BC Hydro data and interim orders from the Comptroller of Water Rights. Interim orders appear to be proposed operational changes to achieve flows which will provide incremental improvements for fish while the water use plan process was underway and assessment was still being made to determine what the most suitable or preferred flows for fish should ultimately be.

Finally, a few documents in the series deal with redevelopment plans to support BC Hydro water license applications in light of recommendations established in the Water Use Plans.