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Central and North Coast EBM Implementation - Land and Resource Forums (LRFs)

Originally three separate land and resource forums were established between participating First Nations and the Province. Each forum - one for the southern portion of the Central Coast, one for the northern portion of the North Coast and one for the area in between - was created to oversee implementation of the strategic land use agreements, the Provincial land use decision and EBM.

On February 7th 2008 the Province, represented by the Integrated Land Management Bureau, the Ministry of Forests and Range and the Ministry of Environment, ratified a Terms of Reference to establish a Joint Land and Resource Forum with the Nanwakolas Council, Tsimshian Stewardship Committee and Coastal First Nations. The Joint Land and Resource Forum does not replace the three separate forums, rather, it augments them and focuses on regional issues that are consistent between the three forums, leaving the separate forums to deal with issues that are unique to their respective areas.

Who are they?

Nanwakolas Council (NC), a coalition of First Nations of the southern portion of the Central Coast, includes the following First Nations: Mamalilikulla-Qwe'Qwa'Sot'Em, 'Namgis, Tlowitsis, Da'naxda'xw Awaetlatla, Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw, Kwiakah, and Comox. All of the members of NC were previously members of a coalition known as KNT.

Coastal First Nation or CFN, a coalition of First Nations of central and north coast, includes: Homalco, Wuikinuxv, Gitga'at, Haisla, Heiltsuk, Kitasoo/Xaixais, and Metlakatla.

The Tsimshian Stewardship Committee (TSC) includes the Gitxaala, Gitga'at, Kitselas, Kitsumkalum and Metlakatla and is open to any Tsimshian First Nation that wishes to participate. Nisga'a and Haisla are invited to participate when appropriate.

How and why were they formed?

The LRMP recommendations informed government-to-government discussions between the participating First Nations and the Province. Those discussions resulted in a Land and Resource Protocol Agreement with CFN and an Agreement-in-Principle with NC member First Nations which establishes commitments and a framework for implementation of land use decisions. The discussions also resulted in each participating First Nation signing a strategic land use planning agreements (SLUPAs) with the Province.

The agreements committed participating First Nations and the Province to establish Land and Resource Forums through which senior representatives of the First Nations and the Province, or designates, meet. The parties share information and work collaboratively to implement strategic land and resource management decisions within the Traditional Territories of the participating First Nations.

Agreements between First Nations and the Province

What do they do?

  • The Joint Forum works at three levels to ensure implementation of bilateral land and resource agreements and to provide recommendations to the participating First Nations and the Province. The three levels are an Executive, a Working Group and a Technical Committee.
  • The forums specifically address land and resource management in the area covered by the Traditional Territories of the participating First Nations.
  • The forums guide and monitor the implementation of the North and Central Coast land use decisions including further development and implementation of EBM.
  • The LRF Working Groups establish workplans and budgets for the EBM Working Group and the PIMCs, and receive and review their recommendations.
  • For additional information see:

LRF Updates

The LRF Executive has held their inaugural meeting and has committed to meet on an as needed basis to provide support and/or direction to the LRF Working Group.

The LRF Working Group meets monthly and provides the implementation governing bodies (e.g. PIMCs and EBMWG) with recommendations for resolving issues they have identified. Since its inception the Working Group has completed a number of implementation tasks:

  • Approved the terms of reference, budgets and workplans for the EBM WG and the North and Central Coast PIMCs
  • Established the definition of the full implementation of EBM
  • Established legal objectives for the South Central Coast and the North Coast
  • Approved the Transition and Implementation Plan

The LRF Technical Committee is an ad-hoc body that provides technical support to the LRFWG in their implementation tasks. Over the past few months the Technical Committee has been hard at work supporting signatory Nations with their Detailed Strategic Plans that form part of their SLUPAs.

More Information

For more information, contact: ILMBWebServices.





 

 

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