{"id":87322,"date":"2026-07-20T10:20:36","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T17:20:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/?post_type=engagement&#038;p=87322"},"modified":"2026-08-14T16:03:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T23:03:14","slug":"natural-resource-tribunals","status":"publish","type":"engagement","link":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/natural-resource-tribunals\/","title":{"rendered":"Natural Resource Tribunals"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group engage-banner has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fbda80\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"top\">Engagement was open July 20 to August 14, 2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-1 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-0 has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#858689\"><\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1673\" height=\"1253\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-88686\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2026\/06\/NR-Tribunals-Winery-Construction.jpg\" style=\"object-position:46% 60%\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" data-object-position=\"46% 60%\" srcset=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2026\/06\/NR-Tribunals-Winery-Construction.jpg 1673w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2026\/06\/NR-Tribunals-Winery-Construction-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2026\/06\/NR-Tribunals-Winery-Construction-1024x767.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2026\/06\/NR-Tribunals-Winery-Construction-768x575.jpg 768w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2026\/06\/NR-Tribunals-Winery-Construction-1536x1150.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2026\/06\/NR-Tribunals-Winery-Construction-1200x899.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1673px) 100vw, 1673px\" \/><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\"><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-engagement-container\"><div class=\"engagement-page\"><div class=\"engagement-content-wrapper\"><h1 class=\"engagement-title-banner \" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/themes\/bcgov-engagement\/dist\/images\/blue-curve-bg.svg)\">Natural Resource Tribunals<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-engagement-content\"><bcgov-breadcrumb>\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\">Home<\/a>\n                      <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/\">Engagement Opportunities<\/a> \n                  <span>\n        Natural Resource Tribunals\n  <\/span>\n  <div style=\"display: flex\" slot=\"breadcrumb-extra\">\n      <\/div>\n  <\/bcgov-breadcrumb>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-2 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">On this page:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#tribunals\" title=\"\">What are natural resource tribunals?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#contribution\" title=\"\">What is the challenge?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#proposed\" title=\"\">What is being proposed?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-govtogether-engagement-header\"><div class=\"text-column\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Dates:<\/strong> July 20 to August 14<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"remove-bottom-margin\"><strong>Who: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Ministry of Environment and Parks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Ministry of Forests<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What: <\/strong>Proposed improvements to two natural resource tribunals<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Where:<\/strong> Province-wide<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why:<\/strong> To strengthen B.C.&#8217;s economy while maintaining high environmental standards and outcomes<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How: <\/strong>Online<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"taxonomy-engagement_category wp-block-post-terms\"><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__prefix\"><strong>Category: <\/strong><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement_category\/law-and-public-safety\/\" rel=\"tag\">Law and Public Safety<\/a><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__separator\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement_category\/natural-resource-sector\/\" rel=\"tag\">Natural Resource Sector<\/a><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__separator\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement_category\/natural-resources\/\" rel=\"tag\">Natural Resources<\/a><\/div><\/div><div class=\"image-column\"><span role=\"img\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"engagement-image\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2026\/06\/NR-Tribunals-Logging-Truck-scaled.jpg);background-position:57.99999999999999% 35%\"><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tribunals\">What are natural resource tribunals?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Tribunals are legal independent bodies that can review decisions made by the Province. Sometimes a tribunal is also called a board or commission. Natural resource tribunals in B.C. are designed to provide a process for the public to appeal government decisions on environmental issues like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Water licences<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pesticide permits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Contaminated site remediation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These tribunals serve as an alternative to taking disputes directly to court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"challenge\">What is the challenge?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In B.C., the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bceab.ca\/\" title=\"\">Environmental Appeal Board (EAB)<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bcfac.ca\/\" title=\"\">Forest Appeals Commission (FAC)<\/a> are two major natural resource tribunals. The EAB and FAC resolve disputes about decisions made by government on forests and environmental issues under specific laws and regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Appeal processes to the EAB and FAC were designed to provide a fair, accessible, and timely process for reviewing natural resource decisions. Over time, appeal processes have become more complex and lengthy, which has contributed to delays in the permitting and enforcement system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"proposed\">What is being proposed?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Province is looking at possible changes to laws and processes to make sure appeals work the way they were originally intended. This could include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Deciding certain appeals based on existing record instead of requiring a new hearing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No longer pausing monetary penalties when an appeal is filed, and instead refunding the penalty if the appeal is successful<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This work supports efforts to strengthen B.C.\u2019s economy while maintaining high environmental standards and outcomes, and obligations to First Nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related engagements<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"related-engagements\">\n                                    <div class=\"govtogether-engagement-card\" aria-label=\"Engagement title: Child and Youth Well-Being Action Plan. Categories: Families and Residents, Health, Law and Public Safety. Status: Ongoing.\">\n            <div class=\"card-header\">\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-status status-ongoing\">\n                                            Ongoing                                     <\/div>\n\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/child-and-youth-well-being-action-plan\/\" class=\"engagement-title\">\n                        Child and Youth Well-Being Action Plan                <\/a>\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-categories\">\n                                                                        <span class=\"category-pill\">Families and Residents<\/span>\n                                                    <span class=\"category-pill\">Health<\/span>\n                                                    <span class=\"category-pill\">Law and Public Safety<\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/child-and-youth-well-being-action-plan\/\" class=\"card-image-container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"engagement-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2026\/06\/CYWB-engagement-hero-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n            <\/a>\n\n        <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"govtogether-engagement-card\" aria-label=\"Engagement title: Community Advisory Group on Extortion. Categories: Families and Residents, Law and Public Safety, Multi-language. Status: Open.\">\n            <div class=\"card-header\">\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-status status-open\">\n                                            Open                                     <\/div>\n\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/extortion\/\" class=\"engagement-title\">\n                        Community Advisory Group on Extortion                <\/a>\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-categories\">\n                                                                        <span class=\"category-pill\">Families and Residents<\/span>\n                                                    <span class=\"category-pill\">Law and Public Safety<\/span>\n                                                    <span class=\"category-pill\">Multi-language<\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/extortion\/\" class=\"card-image-container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"engagement-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2026\/03\/Extortion-Police-Car.jpg\" \/>\n            <\/a>\n\n        <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"govtogether-engagement-card\" aria-label=\"Engagement title: Daylight Saving Time. Categories: Families and Residents, Law and Public Safety. Status: Closed with results.\">\n            <div class=\"card-header\">\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-status status-closed with results\">\n                                            Closed with results                                     <\/div>\n\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/daylight-saving-time\/\" class=\"engagement-title\">\n                        Daylight Saving Time                <\/a>\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-categories\">\n                                                                        <span class=\"category-pill\">Families and Residents<\/span>\n                                                    <span class=\"category-pill\">Law and Public Safety<\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/daylight-saving-time\/\" class=\"card-image-container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"engagement-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2026\/03\/DST-Banner.jpg\" \/>\n            <\/a>\n\n        <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"govtogether-engagement-card\" aria-label=\"Engagement title: Legal Professions Regulatory Reform. Categories: Economy and Jobs, Law and Public Safety. Status: Closed.\">\n            <div class=\"card-header\">\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-status status-closed\">\n                                            Closed                                     <\/div>\n\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/legal-professions-reform\/\" class=\"engagement-title\">\n                        Legal Professions Regulatory Reform                <\/a>\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-categories\">\n                                                                        <span class=\"category-pill\">Economy and Jobs<\/span>\n                                                    <span class=\"category-pill\">Law and Public Safety<\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/legal-professions-reform\/\" class=\"card-image-container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"engagement-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2023\/02\/LegalProfessions2.jpg\" \/>\n            <\/a>\n\n        <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"govtogether-engagement-card\" aria-label=\"Engagement title: Making Family Law Better for Families. Categories: Families and Residents, Law and Public Safety. Status: Closed with results.\">\n            <div class=\"card-header\">\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-status status-closed with results\">\n                                            Closed with results                                     <\/div>\n\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/making-family-law-better\/\" class=\"engagement-title\">\n                        Making Family Law Better for Families                <\/a>\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-categories\">\n                                                                        <span class=\"category-pill\">Families and Residents<\/span>\n                                                    <span class=\"category-pill\">Law and Public Safety<\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/making-family-law-better\/\" class=\"card-image-container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"engagement-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2023\/02\/FLA-Phase-2-dad-and-kids-hug-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n            <\/a>\n\n        <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"govtogether-engagement-card\" aria-label=\"Engagement title: Information Schedules. Categories: Law and Public Safety. Status: Ongoing.\">\n            <div class=\"card-header\">\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-status status-ongoing\">\n                                            Ongoing                                     <\/div>\n\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/information-schedules\/\" class=\"engagement-title\">\n                        Information Schedules                <\/a>\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-categories\">\n                                                                        <span class=\"category-pill\">Law and Public Safety<\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/information-schedules\/\" class=\"card-image-container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"engagement-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2025\/04\/Information-Schedules1.jpeg\" \/>\n            <\/a>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":88686,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","engagement_category":[247,22,272],"engagement_region":[192],"engagement_status":[52],"engagement_pin_group":[],"class_list":["post-87322","engagement","type-engagement","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","engagement_category-law-and-public-safety","engagement_category-natural-resource-sector","engagement_category-natural-resources","engagement_region-province-wide","engagement_status-closed"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"pinned_engagement_toggle":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement\/87322","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/engagement"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement\/87322\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":89262,"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement\/87322\/revisions\/89262"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/88686"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=87322"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"engagement_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement_category?post=87322"},{"taxonomy":"engagement_region","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement_region?post=87322"},{"taxonomy":"engagement_status","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement_status?post=87322"},{"taxonomy":"engagement_pin_group","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement_pin_group?post=87322"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}