http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/mof/nrra/

Under the guise of catering to our "better interests", the Provincial Government has launched a new legislation proposal "for better regulation of natural resource roads". In the preamble they note: "This simplified process will create certainty about rules and regulations, and provide consistency for all sectors and resource road users".

All their wonderful words (spin) aside, what this really translates to is the wholesale curtailing of access to this province's back country. If passed, this new bill will allow the government to gate all access roads under their control, and hand off "policing" (read LIMIT & GATE) all other roads "owned" by Industry.

Already here on The Rock, Island Timberlands has started slapping up dozens upon dozens of No Trespassing Notices. Not simply on the side roads which are seeing gates assembled at an unprecedented rate, but most of the Main Arteries which of course are the only way for anyone to access the back country. It is assumed they are doing so in preparation for the passage of this bill, and has come as a surprise to both back country users and enforcement (RCMP and CO's). Chiefly this has occurred in the Comox region, but is spreading as I've now seen a handful of new signs/gates in the Port Alberni area.

Left unchecked, it will spread as fast as wildfire to the rest of the Province. If successful in pushing this bill through, the Provincial Government will be in effect curtailing everyone's access to the back country Province Wide. It simply will not matter whether you are "fishermen, hunters, mountain bikers, hikers, climbers, motorized recreation" etc etc, the answer will simply be NO You May NOT Enter!

For any who enjoy our natural heritage, and the ability to access that, I'd strongly suggest you treat this matter with the Seriousness it deserves! Write or call your MLA, send comments to the link posted above, and do it NOW! This is NO time for apathy! We are at extreme risk of losing FAR too much if this overbearing legislation is allowed to go unchecked!

I already have sent letters in, am working on comments to provide to the address noted above, and will post a few suggestions towards that once I have my thoughts assembled. I VERY much hope we can all come together, and ensure our access to OUR Province remains secure!

Matt

Apparently the BC legislation is part of an International Public Access Management Plan.

It is directly connected to US and Alberta PUBLIC access plans.

Read this report, lots of information pertinent to BC: http://issuu.com/foothillsresearchinsti ... tudy_final

From that Plan we get:

"At the end of the work, perhaps the overriding lesson is that access management is one of the most difficult land use planning problems. This is particularly true when the objective involves denying public users access to existing routes."

And there, in a nutshell, is what we're facing...

Nog

Your right IronNoggin about time being of the essence. There is a BC Govt. consultation meeting with "invited stakeholders" taking place in Richmond on Dec. 7-9. Maybe a peaceful protest outside this meeting is in order!

This current proposal is a resurrection of the old Bill 30 put forward by the Campbell government in April of 2008. Back then it was met with strong public resistance, and eventually died before passing. This time around, the Provincial government is being awfully quiet about their "new" proposal, I'd guess hoping that it will sneak it's way through before the general public is even aware it exists. NOT at all surprised by their underhanded tactics in this matter - seems if they don't get their way initially, they will quietly ignore the stated concerns of those they supposedly "represent" and do whatever the hell they want anyway.

Here's the background: http://www.resourceroadsbc.com/

The question this time is once again: Are you prepared to stand idly by while YOUR access to YOUR Province is stolen away right under your nose?
I hope NOT!

Comments Here: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/mof/nrra/feedback.htm
PLEASE DO!!!

Nog

Courtenay Fish & Game President on this proposal: http://courtenayfishandgame.org/index_f ... ident.html

Comments have to be submitted by December 15, 2011.
Lets get some feedback happening people......

Nog

FIVE Days left to get comments in!

PLEASE DO if you value YOUR access to OUR Province!

TIA!
Nog

link doesn't work nog - nevermind I see it closed now