British Columbia is delaying planned amendments to the Heritage Conservation Act.
The B.C. government had intended to table the changes this spring but said Monday that more time is needed to consult with industry, local governments, and First Nations.
The act governs archaeological assessment and permitting at cultural heritage sites in the province. Construction work must stop if artifacts are discovered, allowing time for an archaeological study and permitting.
The Union of B.C. Municipalities has raised concerns about development costs and delays under the act, particularly for residential construction and renovations. The act has not been significantly updated since 1996.
The province said the proposed amendments are intended to streamline permitting, help communities rebuild more quickly after disasters, and strengthen the role of First Nations in managing and protecting cultural heritage sites.
Forests Minister Ravi Parmar is leading the overhaul. He previously said he hoped the process could allow permits to be approved in as little as one year.
The timeline for engagement was extended last fall after municipalities said they had not been adequately consulted.
“It was loud and clear that the current Act is broken, the status quo is unacceptable, but it was very clear to me that we’ve got some more work to do in order to be able to find the right pathway forward,” said Parmar on Tuesday.
Parmar said he still hopes to table legislation to modernize the Act, but didn’t specify a timeline for when it might be introduced.
The province said meetings will be held with industry partners in the coming weeks to discuss the permitting process.
B.C. Conservative Indigenous relations critic Scott McInnis said he welcomes the delay of the proposed changes. He said clear rules, defined liabilities and predictable timelines are needed for both large and small developers, as well as private property owners.
“People deserve to know, before a shovel hits the ground, who is responsible for what, how long it will take and roughly what it will cost,” said McInnis.
Todd Stone, President and CEO of the Association for Mineral Exploration, also appreciates the province putting off the changes.
“The proposed changes would have been disastrous to mineral exploration and many other resource-based industries in our province. Government needs to focus on getting our economy going, not throwing down roadblocks,” said Stone in a statement.
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