Land Use Planning

British Columbia is richly endowed in a wide diversity of resources - a diversity greater than any other province in Canada. This diversity presents challenges in managing activities and values across our landscape so that the benefits from all our resources can be enjoyed for generations to come. In 1992, British Columbia embarked on a strategic land use planning initiative. In 2001, BC has a new approach to strategic planning, with an emphasis on a streamlined process to support sustainable economic development.

Petroleum, natural gas and mineral resources are significant components of the province’s diverse resource endowment. The "hidden" character of these subsurface resources presents some unique challenges for land use planning, especially respecting access to land for exploration.

The role of the Minerals, Oil and Gas Branch in the Resource Management Division is to ensure that subsurface resources are adequately considered in the development of policy initiatives and land use plans, to maximize opportunities for mining, oil and gas, aggregate and geothermal sectors to grow and contribute to a vibrant and diversified economy.

The Minerals, Oil and Gas Branch is also leading the completion of Pre-Tenure Planning in the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area, to support Petroleum and Natural Gas Tenure issuance.

Land use planning topics have been divided into two streams - minerals and Petroleum and Natural Gas - as in BC these sectors are operationally, functionally and administratively relatively discrete. Please follow the Mineral Land Use and/or Petroluem and Natural Gas Land Use links for information relevant to each sector.