In July 2024, British Columbia released its first ever Coastal Marine Strategy (CMS), a long-term vision for stewarding coastal and marine resources in the province. In the CMS the government makes significant commitments aimed at protecting wild salmon, biodiversity and ecosystem health, safeguarding and growing our blue economy, and protecting communities from the impacts of climate change. As the Province focuses on strengthening BC and Canada’s economic security in the face of economic threats, the CMS remains a critical strategy to advance.
In this memo, we expand on why a new Coastal Marine Act and associated amendments to existing legislation will help achieve the CMS’s promises. We also list many other potential CMS activities that can be completed by amending or enacting new regulations under existing laws, creating new policies, or amending existing policies – all of which can be done without requiring a new bill be tabled in the Legislature. But ultimately, the comprehensive coastal management regime that was promised by the CMS cannot be achieved without new legislation.