Province to establish new enforcement agency for natural-resource sector

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The province will be establishing a new compliance and enforcement agency for the natural resource sector starting in July. 

According to a press release by the Ministry of Environment and Parks on June 23rd, the BC Compliance and Enforcement Agency (BC-CEA) will come into effect on Wednesday, July 1st, 2026. 

The province said the BC-CEA is a unified agency that will bring together several compliance and enforcement functions across the natural resource sector to improve environmental protections and support a fairer, more predictable business environment. 

In addition, the press release said this change will improve consistency and timeliness of service, enhance accountability, and improve enforcement, compliance, and investigations.

The single-integrated model will also make digital and corporate services more efficient while supporting more coordinated operations through better data alignment and stronger, consistent enforcement. 

The agency will operate within the Ministry of Environment and Parks. It will bring together the BC Conservation Officer Service, the Natural Resource Officer Service, the Compliance and Environmental Enforcement Branch, the Compliance and Enforcement Branch, the Service Transformation Branch and the Regulatory Effectiveness and Sector Integration Branch. 

The BC-CEA will manage administrative monetary penalties for the Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals and BC Parks, as well as licensing sanctions under the Wildlife Act for hunters and anglers. 

The agency will operate with more than 400 staff and centralize leadership, governance and oversight, while maintaining existing statutory authorities and frontline service delivery.