Victoria – The BC Government introduced the miscellaneous statutes amendment act, 2025, to the legislative assembly on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.
If passed by the legislature, the amendments will affect the following provincial statutes:
Wildfire Act:
Amendments to the Wildfire Act are proposed to change the limitation period for orders the minister can make against parties who started or contributed to the spread of a wildfire or who contravened the act or wildfire regulation. The amendments will provide more time for an alleged party to understand the evidence against them and a meaningful opportunity to respond. They will also provide additional time for investigations and calculating costs and damages, and for decision-makers to assess the facts before making a determination order (e.g., for parties to pay government’s fire-control costs, the value of damaged or destroyed Crown resources or an administrative penalty).
The amendments will align the limitation period with those in other natural resource statutes, such as the Forest and Range Practices Act.
Housing Supply Act:
Amendments to the Housing Supply Act are proposed to ensure consistency of provincial authority to undertake compliance measures with the City of Vancouver, conforming with all other prescribed municipalities subject to a housing target order.
Local Government Act – Elections amendments:
Amendments to the Local Government Act, Local Elections Campaign Financing Act, School Act and Vancouver Charter are proposed to clarify for local election officials and others the rules concerning elections administration and address barriers to participation by electors and candidates in local elections.
Local elections include elections for municipal councils, regional district electoral areas, boards of education, specified parks boards, local community commissions and the Islands Trust.
Wildlife Act:
Amendments are proposed under the Wildlife Act to enact pull the plug requirements and mandatory stops at open watercraft inspection stations, targeted for the 2025 summer boating season. In addition, the amendments will enable mandatory inspections for watercraft entering B.C. from another jurisdiction prior to launch. This authority will be brought into force through regulations following further analysis and engagement.
The transport of watercraft between waterbodies is the primary high-risk pathway for spreading aquatic invasive species, such as zebra and quagga mussels, and whirling disease. The most effective preventive measure is for boaters to clean, drain and dry all watercraft and equipment after each use, and to pull the plug on all watercrafts being transported between waterbodies. Many other jurisdictions have similar measures in place, including Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
