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Members of the public are invited to provide feedback on proposals related to water management.
File photo by Hannah Scott
Public invited to share input to improve permitting processes
Published 12:30 PDT, Tue September 23, 2025
Last Updated: 12:31 PDT, Tue September 23, 2025
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The province is improving the permitting process for the natural-resource sector, and members of the public are invited to provide feedback on proposals related to water management.
The B.C. government is working to speed up permitting, reduce the backlog of permit applications and help people in British Columbia get shovels in the ground, while maintaining high environmental standards and commitments to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
As part of this review of permitting processes, a series of surveys about proposed changes are open for public comment.
The goal of these surveys is to capture the public’s feedback, perspectives and thoughts on proposed changes to permitting processes in several key areas related to water management.
An initial 16 topics have been identified for permitting reform. These topics fall under the Water Sustainability Act, Water Sustainability Regulation, Riparian Areas Protection Act, Riparian Areas Protection Regulation and Forest Act. Proposals on how to improve permitting processes for each of these topics have been developed.
Topics that will be part of this engagement process include:
- • exemption for construction dewatering;
- • exemption for constructing ice roads to access restoration sites;
- • expediting existing use groundwater applications;
- • expanded eligibility for stream restoration;
- • low-volume water use without an authorization;
- • enhancements to the Riparian Area Protection Regulation;
- • strategic use of offset payments to support wetland conservation;
- • managing all wetland classes;
- • Wetland Identification and Delineation Manual and wetland professional accountability;
- • administrative penalties timelines; and
- • streamlining Forest Act permitting in Ministry of Transportation and Transit right-of-ways.
People in British Columbia can read topic-specific information that explains the proposed changes and their benefits, along with the surveys, on govTogetherBC.
Closing dates vary. Some surveys will close Oct. 17, 2025, while others will close Dec. 12, 2025.
All feedback provided through this process will be considered before any changes are made to permitting processes.
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