There was unanimous committee level support for the Sunshine Coast Regional District’s (SCRD) response to B.C. Timber Sales’ (BCTS) 2025 - 2029 operating plan review. That recommendation, approved at the July 17 electoral services committee meeting, is to be considered by the board at an upcoming meeting.
Watershed protection a key regional concern
The committee call was to state “the SCRD does not support logging of MCNR006 block that is designated as community drinking watershed."
In addition the recommendation stated it “does not support the logging of blocks ELPH008, G043B4NN, G043B4SG, G043C3ZP, ELPH010, MCNR006 that are upslope and in the same watershed as SCRD assets, without mitigation and monitoring plans."
Also, recommended for inclusion in the region’s response was the statement “as a water license holder and in view of our responsibility to provide safe, clean drinking water, (it) does not support logging blocks ELPH011, G043B4NV, G052B4R8 that are proposed in groundwater recharge areas of aquifers used for community drinking water. Before BCTS enables logging in these areas, SCRD requests input into evidence-based terms of reference for mitigation and monitoring plan to protect against impacts to groundwater quality and quantity. Development of such terms of reference should involve First Nations.”
Local elected officials also supported making a request to BCTS for further engagement to develop a “shared understanding of the location of the community drinking watershed boundaries in reference to SECH005, G042B4RC and G052B4R8." The SCRD are also planning to request BCTS share with them the results of engagement with the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nation on "Areas of Importance" proposed in the plan.
Another ask was for BCTS to provide a management plan to achieve the goal of zero impact to forest cover in the community drinking watersheds adjacent to SECH005, G042B4RC and G052B4R8.
Asks on Old Growth and ecosystem management
The recommendation further stated “SCRD does not support logging blocks ELPH011, SECH005, SECH006, SECH004, BRITW003, BRITW004 that are proposed within priority old growth deferral areas that were established in BC’s Old Growth Management Review."
It requested information about alternate recruitment areas, and stipulated it “does not support logging of old growth recruitment areas”.
Opposition to logging of blocks MCNA003, MCNR006, SECH003, SECH004, SECH005, SECH006, SECH008, and G05154DG is part of the recommendation. It stated those blocks “overlap with Federally-listed species, at risk areas and/or Provincially Red-listed species ecosystems or plant communities” and the recommendation called for “a diligence plan for ensuring zero impact to the recovery of species and/or ecosystems at risk” before logging is approved in those areas.
A further ask was that BCTS survey wetlands and ponds near or within proposed cutblocks, share that information with the SCRD and consider buffering all wetlands regardless of size.
The recommendation concluded with a call for the board to write to the provincial ministers of forests and of water, land and resources stewardship to advocate for any recommendations made on the matter.
Regional staff report lauded
The staff analysis of the 12 new and eight amended proposed cutblock areas included in BCTS’s submission was appreciated by the committee members, so much so the recommendation also asked that it be shared with the shíshálh Nation, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nation, District of Sechelt and Town of Gibsons. In addition, the staff report is recommended to be provided to regional SCRD Advisory Planning Commissions, so that they can consider the contents in the development of comments to BCTS on the proposed operating plan.
Another piece of SCRD staff work that was applauded was the integrated map of proposed areas that was circulated to the committee members. Both committee members and members of the meeting audience expressed views that the locally produced map was much easier to understand than the mapping available on the BCTS website.
Elphinstone Area director Donna McMahon asked if the SCRD’s map, which was not included on the published agenda, be made accessible. Regional district corporate officer Sherry Reid explained that the map is not currently in a format that allows for it to be included on the SCRD’s website, but that she would ask the SCRD’s mapping department about options to make the map available to the public.
