WHEREAS the Ministry of Environment is proposing to eliminate the 4.5 kilometre burning permit area under the proposed Wildfire Act; and

WHEREAS the removal of the burning permit area will result in the rural municipality acquiring responsibility for wildfire administration and suppression on privately owned and occupied Crown land within 4.5 kilometers of the provincial forest boundary; and

WHEREAS funding, equipment and manpower is limited within a rural municipality; whereby the only revenue stream is local taxation; and

WHEREAS physical access to this land is limited and/or restricted;

BE IT RESOLVED that SARM lobby the province to prevent the removal of the 4.5 km burning permit area as is being proposed under the Wildfire Act.

Response from Honourable Ken Cheveldayoff, Minister of Environment:

It is my view the issues identified in this resolution, concerning the proposed reversion of the 4.5 km burning permit area to rural municipality responsibility for private land and occupied Crown land, are being addressed through the extension of consultations on the proposed Act and the scheduled meeting with SARM. Further dialogue is warranted to clarify roles and responsibilities for the ministry and rural municipalities considering fair and equitable protection from wildfires across the southern portion of the province.

I support the upcoming meeting with ministry officials and representatives from SARM to explore these issues and seek potential solutions and recommendations for consideration in the legislative review.