Transfer of Authority for Natural Resource Management

Ministries within the B.C. Government’s natural resource sector are responsible for administering legislation related to the management of provincial Crown land and its cultural and natural resources. In order to carry out this responsibility, authority for decisions, duties and responsibilities required in legislation has been transferred to public officials.

Legislation allows for the transfer of authority in the form of delegations, designations, appointments or deputizations. The documents below provide details on such transfers of authority. These documents are for information purposes only and may be updated at any time, without notice.

Delegation

Delegation is the assignment of ministerial authority and responsibility to another official to carry out specific activities.

The following matrices identify ministerial authority that has been delegated to officials under the:

• Forest Act and Regulations (PDF)
• Forest & Range Practices Act and Regulations (PDF)
• Great Bear Rainforest (Forest Management) Act and Regulations (PDF)
• Land Act (PDF)
• Ministry of Forests & Range Act (PDF)
• Ministry of Lands, Parks & Housing Act (PDF)
• Off-Road Vehicle Act (PDF)
• Oil & Gas Activities Act and Regulations (PDF)
• Range Act (PDF)
• Resort Timber Administration Act (PDF)
• University Endowment Land Act (PDF)
• Wildfire Act and Wildfire Regulation (PDF)

The following memo delegates the ministerial powers and duties, as authorized by the Land Title & Survey Authority Act and the Operating Agreement of the Land Title & Survey Authority of British Columbia, to the Surveyor General and Deputy Surveyor General and is not subject to revisions of the matrices:

• Land Title & Survey Authority (PDF)

Delegation of a ministerial authority does not necessarily preclude the responsible minister from exercising that authority.

Designation

Designation is the classification of an official as a decision-maker identified in legislation. In some cases, the legislation may provide for an official to be designated as a statutory decision-maker; in other cases, an official may be designated to carry out powers and duties under a specific provision.

The following documents identify those officials who have been designated under the:

• Environmental Management Act
  • Conservation Officer Service Authority Regulation
• Fish and Seafood Act
  • Reviewing Officers (PDF)
  • Licensing Officers (PDF)
• Forest Act and Regulations (PDF)
• Forest & Range Practices Act (PDF)
• Heritage Conservation Act (PDF)
• Natural Resource Compliance Act (PDF)
  • Natural Resource Officer Authority Regulation
• Off-Road Vehicle Regulation (PDF)
• Water Sustainability Act
• Wildfire Act and Wildfire Regulation (PDF)
• Wildlife Act (PDF)
  • Designation of Officers Regulation

Appointments

An appointment is the assignment of an official as a statutory decision-maker.

The following documents identify those persons appointed as:

• Under the Dike Maintenance Act
  • Inspector of Dikes (PDF)
  • Deputy Inspectors of Dikes, Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (PDF)
  • Deputy Inspectors of Dikes, Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure (PDF)
• Under the Wildlife Act
  • Director (PDF)
  • Deputy Directors (PDF)
  • Regional Managers and Deputy Regional Managers (PDF)
• Under the Utilities Commission Act
  • Secretary to the Comptroller (PDF)
  • Water Utility Officers (PDF)
  • Natural Resource Officers (PDF)

Deputizations

Deputization is the appointment of an official as the deputy of another official.

The following matrix identifies those officials appointed as deputy regional executive directors and deputy district managers:

• Deputization of Regional Executive Directors and District Managers (PDF)

Authorizations

An authorization allows an official to exercise and perform the Minister's powers and duties under specified legislation.

The following documents identify those officials who have been authorized under the Tla'amin Final Agreement, Tsawwassen First Nation Final Agreement, and Maa-nulth First Nations Final Agreement regarding:

• Fish Harvest (PDF)
• Aquatic Plant Harvest (PDF)