July 30, 2020 Chair letter to Province re PMFLA Amendments

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Bowen  Denman  Hornby  Gabriola  Galiano Gambier  Lasqueti  Mayne  North Pender  Salt Spring  Saturna  South Pender  Thetis 
 
 
200-1627 Fort Street, Victoria BC  V8R 1H8 
Telephone  (250) 405-5151    Fax  (250) 405-5155 
Toll Free via Enquiry BC in Vancouver 604.660.2421.  Elsewhere in BC 1.800.663.7867 
Email  information@islandstrust.bc.ca 
Web  www.islandstrust.bc.ca 
 
 
July 30, 2020        File No.: 4960-20 PMFL 
 
Via Email: FLNR.Minister@gov.bc.ca; MAH.Minister@gov.bc.ca; IRR.Minister@gov.bc.ca  
 
The Honourable Doug Donaldson 
Minister of Forests, Lands,  
Natural Resource Operations and 
Rural Development 
PO Box 9049, Stn Prov Govt 
Victoria, BC V8W 9E2 
 
The Honourable Selina Robinson 
Minister of Municipal Affairs and 
Housing 
PO Box 9056, Stn Prov Govt 
Victoria BC V8W 9E2 
The Honourable Scott Fraser 
Minister of Indigenous Relations 
and Reconciliation 
PO Box 9051, Stn Prov Govt 
Victoria BC V8W 9E2 
 
Dear Minister Donaldson, Minister Robinson and Minister Fraser: 
 
Re:  Private Managed Forest Land Act (PMFLA) Amendments  
 
On behalf of Islands Trust Council, I am writing to voice our concerns that the current provincial  
Private Managed Forest Lands (PMFL) Act is restricting Islands Trust from fulfilling its legislative mandate 
to preserve and protect the environment of the Trust Area, as mandated in the Islands Trust Act. 
Furthermore, by compromising the ability of the Trust to protect forest ecosystems and green carbon 
sinks throughout the Trust Area, the current PMFL Act is also compromising the Trust’s Reconciliation 
Action Plan and efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change in the Trust Area.   
 
On June 17, 2020, the Islands Trust Council passed the following resolution: 
 
Trust Council requested the Chair write to the Honourable Doug Donaldson, Minister of 
Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD), and the 
Honourable Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MAH), and the 
Honourable Scott Fraser, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation (MIRR), 
requesting amendments to the Private Managed Forest Land Act that would enable local 
trust committees to regulate, but not prohibit, forest activities on land within the Islands 
Trust Area. 
 
The Islands Trust is a unique, special-purpose local government and must be distinguished from other 
forms of local government in the Province. Islands Trust Council is concerned that the Private Managed 
Forest Land Act is at odds with the Islands Trust Object specified in the Islands Trust Act, which states: 
 
The object of the trust is to preserve and protect the Trust Area and its unique amenities 
and environment for the benefit of the residents of the Trust Area and of British Columbia 
generally, in cooperation with municipalities, regional districts, improvement districts, 
other persons and organizations and the government of British Columbia. 
 
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The Honourable Ministers Donaldson, 

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