Province launches drafts on Caribou recovery efforts

BC has released two drafts agreements of Section 11 reached with the federal government to protect the Mountain Caribou.

The Caribou are designated at-risk under federal Species at Risk Act and the program aims to recover caribou populations in identified herds, provide certainty to industry and advance collaboration and reconciliation with Indigenous communities, among other things.

A history of Caribou recovery from the province’s release: 

• 2012: Peace Northern Caribou Program to protect 80% high elevation habitat

• 2014: Federal Recovery Strategy mandates 100% high elevation habitat plus
management in low elevation and matrix habitat
• Creation of Regional Coal Agreements and their associated protections
• 2017: SARA petitions (8 for S80; 6 for S61; 1 for S56; 1 for S34)
• 2017: BC commences negotiations for development of a S11 Conservation
Agreement
• 2018: focused negotiations with West Moberly and Saulteau First Nations
• 2018: Federal determination of Imminent Threat to caribou recovery
• 2018: Federal Imminent Threat determination requires consideration of an
Emergency Order by the Federal Cabinet

The government will be holding consultations with affected communities until April 26th.

More to come…