Editor:
Last week, Minister Nathan Cullen announced he was pausing planned amendments to the Land Act, which would have changed decision-making over Crown Land without meaningful public engagement.
While this is welcome news, the government must also rethink its handling of the Dock Management Plan (DMP) on the Sunshine Coast. Private moorage holders account for around 10 per cent of all provincial Crown Land tenures and even though Minister Cullen claims he’s keen to talk, coastal residents are hearing crickets. They’re frustrated by the absence of meaningful engagement, potential economic consequences, a lack of scientific studies, and a refusal to consider grandfathering existing tenures.
So, with the Land Act changes not proceeding, why is the DMP still hanging over the heads of coastal residents? Recently, over 600 people attended a virtual forum hosted by the Waterfront Protection Coalition (WPC), a grassroots organization representing residents and business owners across the province who stand to be impacted by the DMP. The WPC provided an update on its attempts to meaningfully engage with the province. Although the WPC has requested a meeting with Minister Cullen, they haven’t received a response. The WPC aims for meaningful engagement with stakeholders, government, and First Nations.
Minister Cullen needs to understand that feelings of inadequate consultation apply to the DMP as well as the Land Act. The minister recently said that many claims being circulated around Land Act amendments weren’t true and there would be “no impacts to tenures, renewals, private properties or access to Crown land.” We hold the minister to these words and urge him to come to the table with everyone and chart a fair path forward.
Bruce McLeod, Vice President
Jim Case, Secretary
Waterfront Protection Coalition
