New provincial government funding is supporting environmental stewardship projects being developed throughout northern B.C. with First Nations and the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry.
B.C.’s LNG Environmental Stewardship Initiative will allocate up to $30 million over three years for co-designed projects that First Nations communities will have a direct hand in managing, the B.C. government said in a statement.
Projects in development focus on four key areas: ecosystem assessment and monitoring, ecosystem restoration and enhancement, ecosystem research and knowledge exchange, and stewardship education and training.
The initiative was created because many First Nations want to be involved in the LNG industry while managing environmental impacts within traditional territories. Since it was first announced in May 2014, regional stewardship forums with First Nations, industry and government representatives have been established throughout the North to identify environmental priorities and work together to refine the project concepts.
To date, 32 First Nations, the Province and industry are working together on the LNG Environmental Stewardship Initiative.