September 11, 2025, marked the five-year anniversary of the Old Growth Strategic Review (OGSR), the landmark report that called on the Province to make ecosystem health and biodiversity the overarching priority in all land-use decisions. At the time, the government committed to implementing the OGSR recommendations “in full.”
Yet five years on, the promised Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health (BEH) law has not materialized. Instead, the Province has introduced new legislation designed to fast-track resource projects—without the ecological guardrails that would ensure development happens within safe limits.
On the anniversary, the Sunshine Coast Conservation Association (SCCA) joined 88 organizations and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs in releasing an open letter to government calling for immediate action, alongside a joint media release.
A long record of advocacy
The SCCA has been pressing the Province on this issue for years:
-
2020: In our submission to the OGSR Panel, we highlighted the urgent need to protect Marbled Murrelet habitat and reform the Forest and Range Practices Act, which prioritizes timber over biodiversity. We warned that current practices would not ensure the persistence of old-growth ecosystems in the Sunshine Coast Natural Resource District. Read the SCCA OGSR submission (Jan 2020, PDF)
-
2024: In our comments on the draft Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework, we applauded the Province for finally advancing legislation but expressed concern that the draft was too weak. We urged government to name the crisis for what it is—the Sixth Mass Extinction—and to create clear, enforceable definitions of biodiversity, ecosystem health, and protection. Read the SCCA BEH Framework submission (Jan 2024, PDF)
-
2025: We continue to advocate for the protection of old-growth and at-risk ecosystems, the establishment of local watershed boards, a Water Sustainability Plan for Aquifers 560 and 552, and the protection of forests that safeguard drinking water, salmon habitat, and climate resilience. These local campaigns are part of a larger picture: without a BEH law, critical ecosystems remain vulnerable to short-term pressures.
Why it matters here on the Sunshine Coast
We are already living the consequences of biodiversity decline:
-
Ecosystem stress and water insecurity, including aquifers under pressure.
-
Loss of old-growth habitat for threatened species like the Marbled Murrelet.
-
Declining fish populations, including salmon, freshwater and forage fish, are at risk due to degraded watersheds and habitat loss.
-
Climate-driven droughts, floods, and wildfires that test community resilience.
The BEH Framework offers a way forward: a co-developed law with First Nations that recognizes Indigenous stewardship and legally prioritizes biodiversity across all sectors. This is not only an ecological imperative but also the foundation of long-term economic stability.
Our call to action
The SCCA stands with nearly 90 organizations across BC in demanding that the Province:
-
Finalize the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework.
-
Co-develop and pass a BEH law with First Nations.
-
Ensure all development proceeds within clear ecological limits.
We’ve been pushing for this for years, and we will not stop until BC enacts the law needed to safeguard ecosystems, communities, and future generations.
Read the joint open letter here.
Read the coalition media release here.
Read SCCA’s OGSR submission (2020, PDF)
Read SCCA’s BEH Framework submission (2024, PDF)