After many calls for public consultation, Prince George residents will soon have the opportunity to have their voices heard on the province’s draft caribou recovery agreements.
A community engagement session regarding the two draft agreements under section 11 of the Federal Species at Risk Act will take place at the Prince George Civic Centre on April 9 from 5:30 – 9:30 p.m.
The draft section 11 agreement between British Columbia and Canada intents to set a framework for co-operation between the two governments to recover the endangered southern mountain caribou.
The draft agreement between B.C., Canada, West Moberly, and Saulteau First Nations proposes specific habitat protection and restoration measures to recover the central group herds of southern mountain caribou.
At the public engagement session, staff from the provincial and federal governments will share information about the proposals and will be able to answer questions as well as staff from the Saulteau and West Moberly First Nations.
The province says feedback collected from the public engagement sessions will help inform the final agreements.
There will also be engagement sessions in Williams Lake (April 8 at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex), Mackenzie (April 10 at the Mackenzie Recreation Centre), and Quesnel (April 11 at the District Seniors’ Centre).
All engagement sessions take place from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
The draft agreements, maps, and an overview of the provincial caribou recovery program are available to read in full online.
If you are not able to attend the session, you can also fill out a feedback form online until May 2, 2019 at 4.p.m.
After the public consultation period is over, the province will compile all feedback into a “what we heard” document that will be made publicly available and the province says all input will help inform all parties’ decision-making regarding the finalization and signing of the agreements.
