Membership Matters: October 2022 BCSF Executive Director Update

Keremeos, BC (September 28th, 2021) -- A resolution that calls on the province to enact better protection for outdoor recreation opportunities was endorsed last week at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Convention. This endorsement is a big win not only for the BC Snowmobile Federation clubs who initiated the resolution, but for all groups in the province who work diligently to provide recreation trails and other infrastructure to the public.

Protection for Outdoor Recreation Opportunities and Established Snowmobile Trails in BC

BCSF receives support from the District of Sicamous to submit resolutions to the Union of BC Municipalities

The community of Trout Lake has created a Change.org petition to try to stop the removal of the Rady Creek FSR. We need the snowmobilers of the Trout Lake region to go sign this petition.

The BCSF also sent the following via email on May 26, 2021. We received a response that government staff would follow up with us and they have not. Therefore, on June 7, 2021 we have sent a follow up email escalating this to Katrine Conroy as the Minister responsible.

The BC Snowmobile Federation received information on August 2020 about a new proposed project in the Elk Valley area called the Elk Valley Cumulative Effects Management Framework. (EVCEMF) This project intends to restore industrial roads in the Elk Valley that will restrict public access to areas for the protection of habitat for Grizzly Bears, Big Horn Sheep, and Westslope Cutthroat Trout.

Blair Lekstrom's report "the Path Forward to Recover the Caribou Plan in Northern BC" was released today. The BCSF submitted our comments to Mr. Lekstrom to help inform his report and we also submitted our recommendations to all proposed signatories on the Agreement at the end of May. You can read our full list of recommendations here.

The B.C. government, the federal government, West Moberly and Saulteau First Nations have been negotiating an Inter-Governmental Partnership Agreement for the Conservation of the Central Group of the Southern Mountain Caribou (“Partnership Agreement”). The draft Partnership Agreement applies to the Central Group of Southern Mountain Caribou in the South Peace.

The BCSF reviewed the draft agreement and submitted the attached comments to Government on behalf of BCSF Member Clubs.