The B.C. government has backed off on a plan that critics said would have sold out public control over Crown forest land. Forests Minister Steve Thomson says he’s withdrawn proposed changes to the Forest Act that would have allowed volume-based forest licences to be converted to area-based forest licences, essentially giving private companies more power over government-owned land.
Thomson says it’s become clear more public input is needed on the idea, so the government will conduct broad consultations this summer on the recommendations of a special committee that first proposed the change.
Mar 12, 2013
Canadian Press
Tree farm section of bill removed from The Globe and Mail
Government backs down on controversial forestry bill from The Tyee
BC Forest minister shelves area-based tenure change from the Revelstoke Times Review
Opponents relieved as controversial forest bill shelved from the Kamloops Daily News
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