Editor:
The following abridged letter from the Waterfront Protection Coalition (WPC) to Nathan Cullen, British Columbia’s Minister of Land, Water, and Resource Stewardship, outlines a request for a meeting to discuss the Dock Management Plan.
We are writing as a community-based coalition to express our concerns about the current iteration of the Dock Management Plan (DMP) and our desire to engage with you, and the shishálh Nation, in working toward a collaborative plan that includes impacted parties.
The proposed DMP has far-reaching effects on local residents and the community. We are concerned that not everyone has been adequately engaged in the process and that our concerns have been largely ignored. For example, providing some form of assurance regarding the inclusion of a grandfathering clause for existing docks could ease worries amongst the community.
However, right now, those impacted by the DMP are frustrated by the lack of meaningful engagement. We believe the government has a duty to properly understand and represent community interests in matters involving the use of Crown Land. The current flawed process is also a barrier to building stronger local relationships with the shishálh Nation, a key goal of the Waterfront Protection Coalition.
We are encouraged by past statements you’ve made about engaging groups concerning decision-making on Crown Land and we know this is an opportunity to get that process right. We are requesting that the WPC be invited to participate in any meeting including stakeholders. We urge you to work with us to find a solution that all parties can get behind.
As the DMP is closely linked to proposed Land Act amendments, how the process here unfolds will set a precedent for other regions and interests, and we want to work with you to set a positive example.
Sincerely,
Denise Brynelsen
President, Waterfront Protection Coalition
