Recently, the Premier of British Columbia has mandated the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy to: “Revitalize the Environmental Assessment process … to ensure the legal rights of First Nations are respected, and the public’s expectation of a strong, transparent process is met.” In order to support advancing the environmental assessment revitalization process, the First Nations Leadership Council directed the BC First Nations Energy and Mining Council (FNEMC) to engage with the BC Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) to organize four regional workshops , and a fifth province – wide forum, in BC. The first four regional workshops have been concluded and were attended by Chiefs, leaders, First Nations environmental and regulatory experts, and representatives of the EAO.

The FNEMC is now in the planning stages to host a Province – wide First Nations gathering, in Vancouver, to continue discussions on the proposed BC environmental assessment revitalization process. This forum is planned to be hosted at the Musqueam First Nation Community Centre from May 29 – 30, 2018. Participants at this forum will include First Nations chiefs, leaders, and Indigenous environmental and regulatory experts. Members of the EAO will also be participating in this event. (For further information, visit www.fnemc.ca)