QUESNEL, BC – The provincial government has announced a new approach to forest management for the
Quesnel Timber Supply Area, which would significantly increase the allowable cut in timber volume for First
Nations. The announcement was met with enthusiasm by the four Member Nations of the Southern Dakelh
Nation Alliance (SDNA): Lhoosk’uz Dené Nation, Lhtako Dené Nation, Nazko First Nation and Ulkatcho First
Nation.
“Today, I really feel this is a true step forward toward building a government-to-government relationship,”
said Chief Alec Stuart of Nazko First Nation and President of the SDNA.
The apportionment decision, made by Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource
Operations and Rural Development, was announced in Quesnel today by Ravi Kahlon, Parliamentary
Secretary for FLNR.
“Today’s announcement gives communities and Indigenous Nations in the area a greater voice in local forest
sector management, so they can remain resilient when facing challenges like the ones we are experiencing
now,” said Kahlon.
Under the new apportionment arrangement, the government categorizes, by licence type, the breakdown of
available volume within the allowable annual cut (AAC) of the Quesnel TSA. In 2017, Chief Forester Diane
Nicholls set the AAC in the Quesnel TSA at 2,607,000 cubic metres. The apportionment decision allocates
162,500 cubic metres of live timber to the First Nations in the Quesnel TSA (SDNA and ?Esdilagh). The
increase in volume for First Nations is significant. First Nations were previously allocated 1% of the forest
resource – with this decision, First Nations will receive 13%.
“How we work together is going to be critical,” said SDNA Executive Director Shawn Holte. “There’s a lot of
challenges everybody is facing right now and the pieces that are coming together on relationships and
relationship-building is going to be key.”
The apportionment decision demonstrates the collective efforts of First Nations, ministry staff, local and
provincial governments, and industry, with goals of supporting indigenous reconciliation, community
involvement in local resource management, and forest sector diversification to enhance economic stability in
the area.
“An apportionment of this nature (to communities) I think is the beginning of repatriating that volume back to
where it belongs,” said Quesnel mayor Bob Simpson.
Tai Krahn, of C&C Wood Products, a Quesnel mill and major employer in the region, added, “I think this is a
great chance to show the province how we can all be successful together.”
The collaboration between the Province and the SDNA in the lead up to the decision was a critical step
forward in their government-to-government relationship. However, the SDNA continues to work towards an
approach where statutory decisions are made jointly and in line with the UN Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples.
The new apportionment takes effect Jan. 1, 2020.
-end-
CONTACT:
Shawn Holte
SDNA Executive Director/Lead Negotiator
250-398-3375 Ext 309
ed@dakelh.ca
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