Series GR-3565 - Administrative records

The Commission on Resources and the Environment (CORE) was appointed by the Government of British Columbia in January 1992 to initiate a process for making land use allocation decisions in the province, develop a long-term land use strategy and develop comprehensive land use plans. Headed by Stephen Owen, it brought together interested parties, including government, environmentalists, first nations, forest and tourism industries, and community groups.

The commission was established as a result of growing conflict and tension related to resource and land use in British Columbia. Land use planning had previously been handled by many different government Ministries over time, primarily the Ministry of Forestry. The commission was an arm’s length agency, created to provide a new collaborative planning model in which stakeholders could negotiate a consensus-based agreement for resource use in their region.

It began its work in some of the most contested regions of the province: Vancouver Island, Cariboo-Chilcotin, East Kootenay and West Kootenay. Each regional table was appointed an independent facilitator who attempted to reach consensus on various issues with stakeholders. Staff for various government ministries with land use interests were involved in the process. The goal of the process was to assign what types and intensities of land use for certain areas in a region, including determining protected areas.

Negotiations were slow; by 1994, the Commission had not met any of its deadlines. At this time, the Commission attempted to create final land use plans based on the incomplete work of the regional tables. These plans were met with substantial public protest and backlash. After further negotiation these plans were eventually approved by Cabinet, but CORE was dismantled in 1996. After this, land use planning was conducted by the Land Use Coordination Office (LUCO).