The Provincial Government is soliciting feedback on its “Together For Wildlife” document – this document is not what the government said it would do, and it will not recover wildlife populations. Your feedback is required by January 9, 2020.
In 2017, the current government committed to:
- Dedicated funding for wildlife and habitat conservation, give wildlife and habitat priority, and engaged concerned groups to work collaboratively towards short and long-term plans for our wildlife resources
- Put all funds from hunting licenses and tags into a dedicated fund for wildlife and habitat conservation
- Bring people who rely on wildlife resources together and ensure they all participate in and contribute financially to conservation
See page 59 and 60 of the government’s platform here. Please see the government’s wildlife position as well NDP Wildlife Position 2017.
Government’s current document fails to:
- Adequately fund wildlife and habitat management. Funding is not dedicated as government promised – this ensures government can and will claw back any investments as it sees fit. Government is currently quietly cutting critical funding for wildlife inventory and positions in both the Fish, Wildlife and Habitat branch and the Ministry of Environment.
- Any commitment to objectives won’t occur until after the next election; this is done with intent to ensure the government can kick the political football down the road another four years. Wildlife and habitat cannot afford to wait four years.
- Finally, and most troubling, government has already decided where it will spend the $10M associated with this initiative. The majority of the will not go to restore wildlife populations, it will go to count and study wildlife as it disappears.
The BCWF position has always been:
- That all with an interest in wildlife contribute to a dedicated funding mechanism. This must include all sectors such as forestry, mining, wildlife viewing, hunters and anglers.
- That the funding mechanism is independent from government. People are more supportive of paying taxes when they know exactly where the funding is spent and when they have a voice. This also encourages other conservation organizations to contribute on an ongoing basis.
- That legislated objectives for habitat and wildlife are created.
- That a roundtable be created with all those involved to conserve and restore habitat and wildlife according to the legislated objectives.
- That the majority of funding be focused on evidence-based landscape-level actions that treat causes and produces effects.
Please read our full submission BCWF Response to Together for Wildlife Document
View the Government’s “Together For Wildlife” document.
Fill out the questionnaire.
The world is run by those who show up. Make sure your voice is heard.