Sicamous residents will get an opportunity to have their say on the proposed backcountry closures aimed at protecting Southeastern B.C.’s mountain caribou herds.
An open house will be held on April 11 at the Sicamous District office between 7 and 9 p.m.
The District of Sicamous is urging residents to participate in the public consultation. An district advertisement says Sicamous will feel the impact of the closures in a negative way, with impacts to the tourism and resource industries.
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“This long-time issue is at a crucial juncture and the threat is immediate. Please join us and take action,” the ad reads.
Large sections of the mountains in Southeastern B.C. are being considered for a legislated closure under Section 11 of the Species at Risk Act, prohibiting backcountry use in those areas.
The B.C. government is gathering public opinion on the closures their Provincial Caribou Recovery Engagement Portal found online at engage.gov.bc.ca/caribou/section11agreement/.
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The District of Sicamous is already submitting a resolution to the Southern Interior Local Government Association (SILGA) and the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) requesting adequate consultation on the closures for communities that will be affected by them.
For more information on the open house, contact Gord Bushell at 250-803-8606, or Sled Sicamous at info@sledsicamous.com.
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