British Columbia, September 14, 2025 – Public Land Use Society (PLUS) is raising urgent concerns about the B.C. Government’s proposed overhaul of the Heritage Conservation Act. The legislative rewrite was revealed to have been developed largely in secret under non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), hiding crucial information from the public until the final stages of the process. Reports in the Vancouver Sun confirm that government and select Indigenous representatives have already reached consensus on dozens of changes, leaving little room for meaningful public input.
“The government is deliberately reshaping who makes decisions on Crown land without public knowledge or consent,” said Warren Mirko, Executive Director of PLUS. “The proposed changes expand First Nations’ authority to block or control land use, including on private property, and even based on ‘intangible’ cultural claims. That is a fundamental shift in who holds power over public land in British Columbia.”
The government has framed the changes as modernization, but documents and briefings show the reforms are designed to recognize First Nations as explicit decision makers on Crown land, while drastically expanding the definition of what ‘heritage’ actually means. One information session even suggested the government may seek a Cabinet mandate to enforce First Nations cultural laws across parts of B.C., further complicating what is quickly becoming an unworkable governance structure in the province.
“This goes far beyond protecting archaeological sites,” said Warren Mirko. “The government is redefining jurisdiction over land and resources and transferring compliance and enforcement authority to groups that are not accountable to the public. These lands belong to all British Columbians, who deserve transparency and a direct say in how they are governed. We call on the B.C. government to immediately stop this flawed process, rather than pushing ahead with just another version of the Land Act amendments they were forced to pause last year.”
Crown land decisions affect all British Columbians. Excluding the public and operating in secrecy creates confusion, erodes trust, and risks long-term harm to communities across the province. PLUS calls for transparency and accountable governance so that public lands are managed in the interests of the people who own them.
About PLUS
Public Land Use Society (PLUS) is a provincial non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring decisions about both public and private land in British Columbia are transparent, lawful, and made in the public interest. These decisions shape homes, businesses, and communities across the province. PLUS supports a balanced approach to managing Crown land that safeguards public access, ensures British Columbians have a meaningful say in decisions affecting these lands, and requires that any authority beyond that of the B.C. government has a clear and transparent legal basis under Canadian law.
Media Contact
Warren Mirko
Executive Director, Public Land Use Society (PLUS)
[email protected]