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Only top-level descriptions British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks
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Wildlife habitat assessment training materials

  • GR-3600
  • Series
  • 1997-2001

Series consists of course materials used to train staff in wildlife habitat inventories and assessments. The courses were created by the BC Government’s Resources Inventory Committee to train staff in how to create inventories of small mammals, raptors, bats, songbirds, the Marbled Murrelet and Plethodontod Salamanders.

The material includes instructor and participant manuals and workbooks. The workbooks contain a wide variety of media including overhead transparencies, slides, compact discs, cassettes, photographs and maps.

These records were classified as 17635-05 in the Administrative Classification System (ARCS).

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

LRMP First Nations consultation case files

  • GR-3697
  • Series
  • 1993 - 2009

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.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment (2005-2017)

Water Management Division organization charts

  • GR-3811
  • Series
  • 1993-1995

The series contains organizational charts and accompanying records that explain the restructuring of the Water Management Division from the period 1993-1995. Records include explanations to changes in positions and titles.

Records are arranged according to the Administrative Records Classification System and fall under the primary number 105 : Organization.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Forest Practices Code Steering Committee records

  • GR-3833
  • Series
  • 1994-1996

The series contains the records of the Forest Practices Code Steering Committee (Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks). The Forest Practices Code was under the joint-administration of the Ministry of Forests, the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks and the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. The Forest Practices Code, which was one part of the Forest Renewal Strategy, sought to enforce forest management practices in British Columbia that would be economically and environmentally sustainable for future generations. It placed new requirements for land use planning, introduced more extensive and stringent forest practice legislation and brought stronger enforcement. Both the Ministry of Forests and the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks had their own steering committee to discuss, plan and implement the Forest Practices Code. There was an additional joint steering committee for all three ministries involved in the project. At the moment, this series only contains the records created and accumulated by the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks for its steering committee, though some files created by other ministries may be included in the records as these would have been distributed to them and discussed.

In addition to meeting minutes and agenda, there are a variety of records related to the development and implementation of the Forest Practices Code by the ministry. This includes some records from smaller sub-committees and groups such as the Technical Subcommittee, the Policy Working Group, the Resource Allocation Committee and the Implementation Team, among others, who were responsible for developing technical and administrative policy, procedures and training. The records document code development, budgets, training, new jobs created and important decisions taken by the committee. Other records include communications (memos, correspondence), organizational structure, briefing notes, memorandum of understanding, monitoring and assessment of implementation strategies, status reports, information needs analysis (for database infrastructure) and treasury board submission to release funds for delivery of the Forest Practices Code.

The records are arranged chronologically into folders. They are classified using ARCS schedule 100001.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Development case files

  • GR-3835
  • Series
  • 1989-2008

The records in this series document the development of Land and Resource Management Plans and provide evidence of the nature and evolution of the planning process.

The records are mainly organized by topic and region. They cover discussions on specific areas and subjects of concern, such as wildlife, tourism, recreation and conservation. Many of the files include discussions about existing legislation to guide plan development. The records also include other reference material such as documents related to the Protected Areas Strategy with summaries of different forest districts, literature reviews, studies, reports (particularly those about the Protected Areas Designation Process) and interim management direction statements from BC Parks. Many files relate to the LRMP table discussing possibilities to designate new protected areas through land use planning. The records also include various working group plans and recommendations, framework plans for a coordinated approach to planning, as well as guidelines to help participants write these plans.
There are also several folders organized by Resource Management Zone (RMZ) with printouts of maps depicting the area, as well as separate files for interests submitted by the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Ministry of Forests, BC Assets and Land Corporation, and Ministry of Transportation and Highways.

The records are arranged according to the Resource Management Operational Records Classification System (schedule 144100) using the following primary numbers:

17550: RMP – Land and Resource Management Plans
17730: RMP – Sustainable Resource Management Plans
And the secondary number -30 (development case files).

This series currently contains records from the Kamloops, Lillooet LRMP and the Okanagan-Shuswap LRMP tables. The records from the associated accession(s) cover all types of land use and resource planning, including landscape unit plans, sustainable resource management plans, land and resource management plans, local and regional resource use plans, and other land and/or resource use plans as they were all part of a greater land-use strategy.

British Columbia. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands

Implementation and monitoring case files

  • GR-3836
  • Series
  • 1995-2006

The series contains records pertaining to the implementation and monitoring of strategic land use plans, including the development of such procedures.

The records cover a range of activities, from advisory committees, public gatherings, monitoring tables, member appointments and invitations, as well as inventories on range, wildlife, old growth forests, habitats and archaeological sites among other topics. Records particularly pertain to feedback received on approved plans prior and during implementation in order to identify issues and suggest amendments. Many of these comments come from Open House sessions with the general public. The series also includes a copy of a Implementation and Monitoring Framework as well as Terms of Reference for monitoring table duties.

The series also includes Protected Area Orders for areas chosen and approved to be protected areas under the Park Act. These orders are accompanied by maps of the area in question.
The records are arranged according to the Resource Management Operational Records Classification System (schedule 144100) using the following primary numbers:

17550: RMP – Land and Resource Management Plans
17730: RMP – Sustainable Resource Management Plans
And the secondary numbers -40 (effectiveness monitoring case files) and -50 (implementation case files).

This series currently contains records from the Kamloops, Lillooet LRMP and the Okanagan-Shuswap LRMP tables. The records from the associated accession(s) cover all types of land use and resource planning, including landscape unit plans, sustainable resource management plans, land and resource management plans, local and regional resource use plans, and other land and/or resource use plans as they were all part of a greater land-use strategy.

British Columbia. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands

Socio-economic and environmental assessment review case files

  • GR-3837
  • Series
  • 1994-2006

This series includes records relating to the review of socio-economic and environmental assessments (SEEA). The records cover the development of policy and procedures for assessments and assessment analysis. They also document the reviews that have been performed in support of Resource Management Plans.
Every resource management plan requires socio-economic and an environmental assessment to confirm the objectives and viability of the plan. Typically a consultant is hired during the creation of a plan to perform the analysis which is then examined and reviewed to verify its accuracy and objectives.

The records in this series include various ministries’ comments on plans and requests for conservation and environmental protection measures in relation to proposed plans. Government produced documents also include notices of pending environmental certificates from developers, as well as briefing notes, news releases and announcements. The series also contains the records of related working groups and committees who were involved in facilitating workshops on assessing projects, organizing the process and analyzing the assessments.

Other records include third party evaluations of proposed developments, such as resorts and landfills, and analysis and impact concerns on wildlife, water resources and the environment in addition to socio-economic impacts. Some environmental assessment certificate applications submitted by developers are also included and cover research conducted for the assessment as well as maps and graphs.

The records are arranged according to the Resource Management Operational Records Classification System (schedule 144100) using the following primary numbers:

17400: RMP – Resource Management Plans

And the secondary number -40 (SEEA review case files).

This series currently contains records from the Kamloops, Lillooet LRMP and the Okanagan-Shuswap LRMP tables. The records from the associated accession(s) cover all types of land use and resource planning, including landscape unit plans, sustainable resource management plans, land and resource management plans, local and regional resource use plans, and other land and/or resource use plans as they were all part of a greater land-use strategy.

British Columbia. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands

Land Use Branch executive services

  • GR-3866
  • Series
  • 1994-1996

This series contains executive correspondence referrals and executive briefing notes from the Land Use Branch of the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks. Most records relate to individual Commission on Resources and the Environment (CORE) land use plans for the various regions of BC and include letters from other ministries, non-profit or non-governmental organizations, municipalities, First Nations governments, corporations and the general public. The correspondence documents the public response to land use planning initiatives during the CORE land-use strategy which was announced in 1994 and dissolved in 1996. The CORE strategy was replaced by Land and Resource Management Plans (LRMPs).

The records are significant as they document the public’s concern over how land in British Columbia should be managed and protected. Letters typically express support or disagreement with proposed plans, or offer opinions on specific topics or sections of the plans.

The records are classified under the Administrative Records Classification System (ARCs Schedule 100001) and use the primary number 280 – executive services. More specifically, files appear to be arranged by region or topic. They are further arranged into files for letters received for informational purposes (i.e. letters on which the Branch was copied to but need not reply directly to) and files for letters in need of reply by the Branch.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Land Use Branch planning files

  • GR-3865
  • Series
  • 1992-1997

This series contains administrative files relating to CORE planning activities kept by the Land Use Branch and its predecessor the Integrated Land Policy Branch of the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks. The dates of the majority of the records coincide with the existence of the Commission on Resources and Environment (CORE) which lasted from 1992-1996.

The records appear to have been kept for informational purposes, with a large portion of the records being copies received by the Branch from other agencies, mainly CORE and LUCO (Land Use Coordination Office). It is possible that some staff from the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks kept these records in their capacity as Senior Policy Advisor or member of the Integrated Resource Planning Committee.

Types of records include correspondence regarding policies and legislation reviews, information issues, LUCO decision notes, memos, cabinet submissions, technical reviews and analysis reports related to a variety of topics covered under CORE plans, comments on reports, participant interviews about CORE plans, summary of workshops as well as summaries of decision options. Other records include copies of terms of reference and minutes of meetings, particularly of ratification meetings and planning process meetings.

The records are classified using the Administrative Records Classification System (ARCS schedule 100001).

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

BC Parks policies

  • GR-3870
  • Series
  • 1984-2005

The series contains printed copies of various policies and procedures that have been place at BC Parks. The policies helped inform employees about the proper procedures for dealing with a variety of issues that could take place at their offices and outdoors in the parks.

Presently, the series contains the policies and procedures on the following topics:

Discover Camping policies (Campground Reservation Service): contains policies and procedures for employees responsible for reservations of campgrounds. This include a manual indicating all the steps and required information for booking a reservation, as well as policies for limits to requests, discounts, receipts, payments, cut-off times, no-shows, reservation changes and cancellations etc. The manual includes a telephone script for customer service representatives.

Mineral Exploration and Development in Parks: contains a policy on mineral exploration and development in parks and recreational areas.

Permit Management Policy and Procedures: contains recommendations and changes for a new effective and decentralized processed for permits such as research permits, BC Hydro permits, and minor film productions. The records solicit opinions from various BC Parks offices about what to include in the new manual, as well as memos and Terms of Reference from the Permit Program Team.

Public Safety and Park Security: contains the Introduction to Enforcement Handbook and amendment packages for Park Rangers, as well as various policies on safety of both employees and park visitors.

British Columbia. Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection

Parks and protected areas case files

  • GR-3872
  • Series
  • 1948-2003

This series contains case files of parks and protected areas which document the legal creation and definitions of the various established parks and protected areas in British Columbia. These files provide a brief history of the area and how it came to be under the provincial government’s management. Some files that are included in the records are land title descriptions, survey plans, boundary maps, pre-existing tenures, park use permits, assessment notices, property acquisition recording sheets and copies of legal establishment (such as order in councils, ministerial orders, copies of acquisition agreements, land title reports, certificates of indefeasible title etc.). The files also cover historical and anecdotal background information, approved map reserves, licenses of occupation and leased tax exemptions, tax payments, construction permissions and notations of interest.

These records may have been previously known as “green files” or “land administration files” with copies of Park Status Sheets (which include basic information such as name of the park, region, classification, size, date of creation etc.) as well as archaeological site surveys, OICs, indentures, market value estimates, records of private donations of land, purchases of land and transfers of federal lands to the Parks Division.

The records are arranged according to the Parks and Protected Areas (PPA) Operational Records Classification System (schedule 186896). Files codes contain the PPA primary and secondary numbers followed by the Parks identification number and the old primary number taken from the BC Parks ORCS (Schedule 113827).

Two records classified under Conservation Research Products were included in this series as the files contain mainly archaeological site surveys and historic background information about the parks, records which appear to also be included in the parks and protected areas case files. One such file contains ample information about the history of D'Arcy Island (also known as Leper's Island, the Lazarette, Leper Colony and the leprosorium).

British Columbia. Parks and Recreation Division

Conservation Officer Service records

  • GR-3875
  • Series
  • 1996-2005

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.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment (2005-2017)

Environment cabinet committees and working groups

  • GR-3874
  • Series
  • 1994-2001

This series contains various cabinet committees and working groups representing environmental issues. These particular files were kept by the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks. The committees were made to advise the Deputy Minister and Minister on important environmental issues to bring to Cabinet. Currently, the majority of the records pertain to the Green Economy Initiative for which there was a Deputy Minister’s Committee and a Working Group. This Initiative worked on boosting the province’s economy using eco-friendly innovation and investments into green companies. A smaller portion of the files belong to the Forest Renewal BC Environment Committee which worked on a terrestrial ecosystem restoration program.
The records of these committees typically contain agenda, presentations, summary reports, appointment letters and accompanying materials for discussion meetings. The series also contains minister’s briefing books for the Green Economy Initiative as well as a cabinet submission form for reducing gas emissions. There is also a file with government’s policy on security for Cabinet documents.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Town of Bamberton reviewable project files

  • GR-3820
  • Series
  • 1990-1993

This series contains project proposals and reports submitted by various engineering firms and consultants. The material deals with several infrastructure projects for the Town of Bamberton. The projects were deemed reviewable by the province, thus the reports deal with aspects such as feasibility, environmental impact in addition to other its impacts on other areas. Many reports include blueprints and/or technical drawings.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

South Coast land and resource management committee files

  • GR-3912
  • Series
  • 1991-2013

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.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Cariboo Region land and resource management committee files

  • GR-3933
  • Series
  • 1990-1998

This series consists of land and resource management committee files and executive records from the Cariboo Region, 1990-1998. Records relate to a variety of environmental and land use issues in the Cariboo Chilcotin area, including: wildlife management, water, use of range land, Taseko Mines proposal, fishing, land and resource management plans (LRMPs) and the development and implementation of the Cariboo Chilcotin Land Use Plan. Records include correspondence, reports, minutes, reference material and briefing notes.

Executive records include referral replies, files of reference material and some files regarding specific issues and projects involving the Minister and other Executives.

Records include minutes and other operational records of several different committees. Most records are from the Cariboo Regional Interagency Management Committee and Commission on Resources and Environment (CORE). There are also related files from the Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Resource Board, Cariboo Chilcotin Land Use Committee and meeting files from various regional mangers and executive groups.

Files may include consultations with and comments from community groups, resource users and First Nations regarding the development of management plans, land use and environmental issues.

Records have been selected for permanent retention and are scheduled under Administrative Records Classification numbers 204-20, 280-30 and 102-20.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Enforcement committees

  • GR-3786
  • Series
  • 1991-1997

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.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment (2005-2017)

Information systems project files

  • GR-3796
  • Series
  • 1983-2003

The series contains the records of the System Services Branch of the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks and its predecessors. The records relate to various initiatives in the 1980s to early 2000s to establish information systems to collect data and make it accessible to the general public. They also discuss central data systems for the use of ministry staff and issues regarding maintenance of these systems. Some records also provide a catalog of existing and proposed information systems within the Ministry.

Types of records include feasibility reports, surveys, research reports, status reports, project overviews, correspondence, proposals, presentations, training resources, information needs report and project assessments.

Projects represented in the series include:

The BC Recycling Hotline: telephone line meant to provide information to callers regarding reducing solid waste, recycling, the proper disposal of hazardous waste and alternatives to environment-damaging products and behaviours. Callers could also inquire about waste management policies, programs in their area and related legislation.

Data Warehouse (DW) project: a repository for storing data produced by BC Environment. Its aim was to improve access to integrated information within the ministry via better technology for storing, delivering and manipulating data by staff. In addition, the data warehouse was intended to serve as a single repository of Ministry data which public can access, particularly in regards to the Forest Practices Code.

Habitat Referral Tracking System Database: a system used to record, track and report on fish habitat referrals received by the Fisheries and Habitat management. Files include a manual for informatics professionals responsible for its maintenance, a proposal from Pangea Systems Inc for the design and development of the system, a training manual, memoranda, and a charter.

Integrated Pest Management Information System: a system that provides information to people about alternatives to pesticides for controlling pests. Includes 1 floppy disk.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS): data regarding locations in BC.

Environmental Protection Program (EPP) information system: includes a proposal from DMR Group Inc., project statement and status reports.

Contaminated Sites Information System: for monitoring data from different areas in the province.

FPC/FRBC Needs Analysis Project: a project to identify the information needs of businesses in the Omineca-Peace Region related to the implementation of the Forest Practices Code and Forest Renewal BC Information. Includes proposed projects and outcomes.

Water Management Branch Information Management Plan: regarding information systems and ongoing projects related to information technology in the workplace.

FRBC/Wildlife: development of a species inventory with data standards for land use planning initiatives. Also initiatives for providing information to the public to assist in preserving biological diversity in BC, including habitat mapping and ecosystem inventories. Records include the project charters, correspondence and summaries.

Detailed Ecosystem Inventory Database: provides a suite of tools to efficiently manage and operate ecosystem inventory projects with the purpose to facilitate the field collection and management of detailed ecosystem data. Records include the project charter.

Species Inventory Database Development Project: a standardized data capture system and provincial repository for wildlife inventory data. Records include a project assessment report.

Integrated Registry Project: a centralized registry that will integrate all previous and multiple systems of registers for land and resource data.

Problem Wildlife Management System: to improve the recording and reporting of problem wildlife information in support of provincial wildlife resource management.

Conservation Officer On-Line Reporting System: for monitoring offences and offenders of fish, wildlife and environmental legislation.

System for Environmental Assessment and Management: computerized data storage and retrieval capabilities for ambient and discharge monitoring results for defined sites.

Terrain Resource Information Management (TRIM) system: its aim was to migrate digital mapping and geographic data into a new relational database management system where by integration, manipulation, distribution and security would be improved. The records from this project are somewhat arranged by project phase (milestones) and include steering committee minutes and agenda, contracts, proposals, reports, reference material on different components comprising the infrastructure of the system.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Miscellaneous water management files

  • GR-3797
  • Series
  • 1980-1995

The series consists of three files from the Water Management Branch of the Ministry of Environment and the Water Resource Division of the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks.
The first file includes policy recommendations from the Water Management Branch in regard to the Water Act. The records include correspondence and a status report sent by the Comptroller of Water Rights or his assistant to the Minister of Environment. There are also summaries of discussions held by select members of the Water Management Branch and its legal consultants in regard to proposals for amendments to the Water Act. These records are dated 1980.

The second file contains records from the British Columbia/Alberta technical advisory committee in regard to the Transboundary Water Management Agreement. The records include correspondence from ministers, public servants and BC Hydro and also include meeting minutes, agendas, executive summary reports on various issues regarding transboundary water matters, such as hydro dams and flooding of rivers that flow in both provinces.

The file includes records related to the Water Resource Pricing program. The program's aim was to manage water shortages, reduce inefficient water use and encourage water conservation through a water pricing framework based on consumption and supply. The records include summary reports, agendas, a consultant’s report on cost analysis and a discussion plan for a Water Pricing Workshop.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment (1979-1986)

Integrated Management Branch records

  • GR-3800
  • Series
  • 1991-1993

The series contains various records from the Integrated Management Branch of the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks. The records include in-office memoranda, meeting agendas of both the Branch and its various working groups and sections, meeting minutes, schedules, inter-office memoranda, informational updates and briefs, quarterly reports, some budget information and draft position papers or reports. The records serve as evidence of the Branch’s activities and positions.

The series includes 12 photographs found intermingled with the textual records. They depict participants listening to a presentation, presumably at a branch or section meeting.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Water licence litigation files

  • GR-3814
  • Series
  • 1985-2001

The series contains the records related to major lawsuits against the Province of British Columbia and/or Canada by water export companies after the latter were refused water licenses for the bulk export of fresh water from Tzela Creek, Toba Inlet to international markets via marine tankers. The companies involved include Snowcap Waters Ltd., Sun Belt Water Inc. and Aquasource Ltd. who sought compensation for lost business opportunities.

The records provide background information to the suits, copies of documents used as evidence including correspondence, reports, environmental assessments, water licence applications, letters of concern from First Nations solicitors, copies of news articles and press coverage, letters from the public, copies of permits, project summaries and court documents.

These records originate from the offices of the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks (Water Stewardship Division).

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Administrative records of the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management

  • GR-3818
  • Series
  • 1992-2007

The series consists of administrative records concerning land and resource use planning activities related to legislation, agreements, committees, reports and programs. The majority of the records come from the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management, however some files originate from its successor body the Integrated Land Management Bureau, part of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands. Some records may also originate from the Land Use Coordination Office.

A portion of the records deal with legislation. These records include files related to Ministry meetings on legislation, legislative programs, projects and the deregulation of statutes as recommended by the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management, These records include proposals and numerous Requests for Legislation (RFLs), as well as status reports on the progress of bills, records of changes and a legislative calendar. Deregulation records include ministerial orders. Other orders cover the appointment of new members on advisory boards, commissions and councils (including First Nations). The records also include position statements on issues submitted by other ministries.

Report files include presentations related to land use planning and implementation, including public review drafts for general reference purposes, and trust reports such as that of the Coast Sustainability Trust.

Other records relate to conferences and committee work done by the Ministry. This includes work with the Mining Association of British Columbia, the Union of BC Municipalities, and Land and Water BC. There are also several records from committees working with or for the Fraser Basin Council Board, the Georgia Basin Ecosystem Initiative, BC Indicator’s Networking Group, and BC Rural Team. It also includes ministerial meetings and liaisons with federal agencies.

Records are mainly summary reports, agendas, summaries of decisions and actions, progress reports, minutes, schedules, information notes, speaking notes and copies of correspondence. Belonging to this series is a number of records of informational value that were physically arranged beside or near the committee files. These concern agreements such as those with Environment Canada to develop public reports and work, and with the United States to work together on the Puget Sound/Georgia Basin International Task Force, treasury board submission guidelines and the transfer of records related to commercial back country recreation from the custody of Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management to the Ministry of Small Business and Economic Development. There are also files on conferences, seminars, and symposia, again mostly related to the work of the committees. These include First Nations engagement workshops, Corporate Sustainability conference, Living Lakes conference, Fraser Basin State of the Basin conference, Georgia Basin-Puget Sound research conference, Governance for Sustainability conference, and Union of BC Municipalities conference. These files include invitations, correspondence, terms of reference, briefs, updates, event programs, organizers and sponsors, backgrounders, participants, facilitator notes, and workshop guidelines. The series also includes a limited amount of Grant files, however many grant forms are also included in committee or conference files.

The records are arranged according to ARCS schedule 100001 and cover several primary numbers under the Administrative Records Classification System (ARCS) under the primary numbers for Administration (102), Legislation (135), Agreements (146, 150), Committees (204), Conferences, seminars symposia (220), Cooperation and Liaison (235), Information services (324), Plans and programs (400), Records management (423), General reports/statistics (440) and Treasury board submissions (1250).

British Columbia. Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management

Administrative records

  • GR-3830
  • Series
  • 1984-2009

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.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Energy projects review case files

  • GR-3852
  • Series
  • 1981-2006

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

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment (2005-2017)

BC Parks recreation facilities

  • GR-3862
  • Series
  • 1995-2000

This series contains records accumulated by the Design and Construction Officer of BC Parks in relation to park facilities. The records contain ample information about standards and projects conducted on BC Park land in order to develop recreation facilities. Guidebooks and manuals in the series demonstrate the proper procedures for building trails, bridges, boardwalks, shelters, tables, signs, steps/stairs etc.

The records also discuss the Forest Renewal BC (FRBC) programs, for which BC Parks was in charge of the Forest Recreation Program. The program provided funding to BC Parks Districts for projects that could be contracted to displaced forest workers, thus helping to renew the BC forest sector. The projects aimed to develop recreation opportunities in provincial parks, including better facilities like trails and campgrounds that would contribute to responsible management of recreation resources. Types of records relating to BC Parks involvement with the FRBC include presentation materials (discussing the program, budgets, forecasts and accomplishments), as well as guidebooks about all FRBC programs.

The series also includes approximately 405 colour photographic prints of various work projects being conducted on BC Parks land. The photographs cover a range of topics such as photographs of landscapes, newly refurbished or installed campgrounds, issues with trails and photographs of workers on site. Many of the original film negatives accompany the photographs.

The records are arranged according to the BC Parks Operational Records Classification System (schedule 113827).

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

BC Parks cabinet and ministry committees

  • GR-3863
  • Series
  • 1987-1996

This series contains records created and accumulated by the Parks division of the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks and its predecessors related to committee work. The records include ministry cabinet submissions, cabinet committees, ministry committees and deputy minister’s committees. A large portion of the records belong to the Parks Management Committee which was responsible for operations of the Parks agency within the ministry. Records include meeting minutes, memos, position statements, responses from BC Parks to new government platforms, organizational structure, work plans and project lists by region, draft policies, quarterly highlights, funding strategies, environmental awards, executive updates, public surveys, and effectiveness reports.
Weekly meetings from this committee cover topics such as executive services, decision issues, information and discussion issues, and strategic initiatives.

Other committees presently represented in this series include the Reorganization Implementation Team, Parks Revenue Work Team, Deputy Minister’s Committee on Sustainable Development, Cabinet Committee on Sustainable Development, Anderson Report Review Committee and the Joint Union Management Subcommittee.

The records are arranged according to the Administrative Records Classification System and include the following primary and secondary numbers:

202-20 : Ministry committees
201-20 : Cabinet committees
201-30 : Deputy minister’s committees
201-40 : Ministry cabinet committees

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Integrated Cadastral Initiative Society records

  • GR-3885
  • Series
  • 2000-2004

This series contains records relating to the Integrated Cadastral Initiative Society (ICIS).
ICIS is a non-for-profit organization and a partnership between local governments, the Province of British Columbia and major utility companies in British Columbia. The goal of this initiative is to develop, use and maintain a province-wide integrated cadastral database of all legal land parcels and their related infrastructure (spatial data). ICIS would handle infrastructure to enable access to the data by its members which would benefit business communications and processes by only needing to go to a single source to obtain the data required to meet operational needs. This would encourage quality data and cost savings resulting from the elimination of duplication of effort.

Currently, the series contains records dating from before its incorporation in 2002 up until 2004. The records were kept by the manager of the Spatial Data Management Section, Crown Land Registry Services of the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management and by the MSRM Partnerships Branch. The records represent a provincial government’s perspective into this multi-member partnership.

The records were mostly classified under ARCS number 200-20: General Committees however the records cover nearly every aspect of ICIS daily functions and activities. Primarily, the records cover project management, administration, and financial information. Records relating to project management include meeting minutes and agenda from the steering committee, board meetings, annual general meetings and director meetings. They also include numerous reports (including annotated drafts) related to the establishment of the organization, Integrated Cadastral Fabric (ICF) standards and specifications, database design, marketing plans and business plans. Project charters, focus group meetings, short and long term plans, and executive summaries are also included.

Administration-related documents include correspondence regarding general inquiries, comments, and memberships. There are also signed and draft agreements with partners, relating to membership terms and to confirm sharing and licensing agreements. There is also information on ICIS history, constitution and by-laws, policies, procedures and organizational structures.

Financial information in this series covers funding, grants, banking services proposals, balance sheets, financial statements and audits.

British Columbia. Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management

BC Parks In-house materials master files

  • GR-3888
  • Series
  • 1937-2008

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.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Parks Plan 90 area meeting files

  • GR-3891
  • Series
  • 1991

This series contains records relating to public consultation meetings for the purpose of informing the Parks Plan 90, particularly the Parks and Wilderness for the 90s initiative.

Records in this series include executive summaries of public meetings that happened all over BC. These reports contain attendance sheets, location, date, tone of the meeting, major issues, concerns, logistics, question period questions, attendance and staff recording sheets and a list of presenters from stakeholders for each meeting. These files are complemented by formal proposals, copies of presentations, reports and letters submitted by various associations, businesses, developers and the public with suggestions and/or concerns about the future of the park system in BC, particularly in terms of land use. Some proposals have photos pasted within them. Presentation materials for meetings are mainly about tourism assets in the region. Attendance sheets from meetings also contain the name and addresses of those wishing to be added to a mailing list.

The series includes a VHS tape from “Pylades Park Association”.

The records are arranged into folders by city or region, though it appears some records may have been misfiled. For example, there are files from the Campbell River meetings located in the McBride folder, and Kamloops meeting files filed in the Williams Lake folder.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Conservation Officer Service policy records

  • GR-4004
  • Series
  • 1980-2012

This series consists of policy records developed by the Conservation Officer Service to support its core operational functions and activities: compliance and enforcement of federal and provincial natural resource law and human wildlife conflict management. The records were created by the Conservation Officer Service, part of the Enforcement program of the Ministry of Environment and its predecessors under the Environmental Management Act (SBC 2003, c. 53) between 1980-2012. They consist of final/approved policies, procedures, standards, and guidelines relating to environmental protection, fish and wildlife management, and public safety in the province of BC.
The records are arranged by category, then by policy name/section. They consist of correspondence, memoranda, final policy documents, reports, copies of occurrence reports, investigations, and copies of legislation. These records are classified as final policy documents (31000-00) under the Conservation Officer Service ORCS (schedule 201311), 2017. They are also assigned an internal filing code.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment (2005-2017)

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