Wildlife Act Review
Fish, wildlife and habitat conservation in British Columbia is significantly underfunded, with current investments falling far short of what is needed to protect and restore ecosystems across the province
Protecting wildlife and habitat in British Columbia
300,000+ British Columbians
The strength of our advocacy comes from our diversity. By bringing together traditionally separate groups under a shared respect for nature, we ensure that the provincial government hears the collective voice of BC’s outdoor community. Healthy habitats mean abundant wildlife, thriving fish populations, and a vibrant future for outdoor recreation.
Why We Need Dedicated, Stable Funding for Wildlife
Fish, wildlife and habitat conservation in British Columbia is significantly underfunded, with current investments falling far short of what is needed to protect and restore ecosystems across the province.
The coalition supports the principle that everyone who benefits from BC’s landscapes should contribute to their stewardship and conservation. However, existing funding mechanisms are often used to support core government responsibilities rather than generating additional conservation outcomes.
The coalition asks for the creation of a long-term, stable, and dedicated funding model that ensures funds are directed toward habitat restoration, stewardship, and on-the-ground conservation initiatives.
1. Establish an Independent, Dedicated Wildlife & Habitat Fund
Ask: Create a long-term, independent funding mechanism dedicated exclusively to fish, wildlife, and habitat conservation in British Columbia.
The fund should be:
- Protected from general revenue
- Independently governed and administered
- Transparent, audited, and publicly reported
- Focused on measurable conservation outcomes
- Inclusive of Indigenous participation in decision-making
- Open to government, industry, and philanthropic contributions
Recommended Structure
- A centralized funding model with the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) as the primary delivery mechanism
- Conservation surcharge revenue and some other sources of income/grants are going through HCTF already, but several existing and new sources of funding, including compensation funding (e.g., FWCP), SHOULD ALSO go through this external funding mechanism
2. Ensure Dedicated Funding Supports Conservation
Ask: Dedicated funding must support community groups, NGOs and First Nations, and not be used for core government responsibilities. Its purpose is to generate additional conservation outcomes outside government capacity.
Dedicated funding SHOULD support:
- Habitat restoration
- Habitat enhancement
- Stewardship partnerships
- Community-based conservation initiatives
- Indigenous-led conservation programs
- Academic Research (leveraging dollars for MITACS, etc)
Dedicated funding should NOT be used for:
- Routine monitoring
- Wildlife inventories
- Regulatory oversight
- Government staffing obligations
- Fulfilling the government’s commitment to government-to-government relationships/ consultations
- Activities that are already government obligations
These core functions should be supported through sufficiently stable government base budgets.
Link to the content being developed: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wVBgDtehlU1ZI2VwwvKvh8xhy6iGE8awtyqOe_x6nRE/edit?tab=t.0
Core Position: The Wildlife Act must establish conservation of wildlife and habitat as a legislated objective that guides decisions across government.
Key Asks:
- Create species density objectives per wildlife population unit
- Legislated objectives that allow the Wildlife Act to influence activities impacting habitat, including cumulative effects assessments
- Regulatory framework based on umbrella species that triggers government action, including guidelines for monitoring and enforcement
- Province-wide consistency in regional management interpretation
