Prince George, Quesnel, and Fort St. John are all adding to their conservation posts with another officer. Mackenzie is also gaining a conservation officer to fill a newly created position.
As part of the largest influx of recruits for British Columbia in a decade, 20 conservation officers sworn in last spring will be placed at various locations across the province. They will fill existing vacancies and newly-funded spots where there is the highest need and where retirements are imminent. Several factors are looked at when determining where a new conservation officer should be posted including call volume, zone coverage, and staffing levels.
There are 160 conservation officers in 45 BC communities. They work on a zone-coverage basis, responding to complaints and concerns anywhere within the zone.