2026 Request for Review and Feedback: Draft Wetland and CIAS Guidance Under Development
The Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship is requesting feedback on several Provincial Standards, Guidance, and Assessment Tools.
The Government of B.C. is seeking feedback from qualified environmental professionals on a suite of draft standards, guidance documents, assessment tools, and data resources being developed to support wetland management and activities occurring in and around streams under the Water Sustainability Act (WSA). These initiatives are intended to improve permitting consistency, environmental outcomes, and clarity for proponents, practitioners, and decision-makers.
Professionals to invited to review the materials and provide feedback before finalization and broader implementation. Several of the documents are expected to become preferred or pilot standards for use in wetlands-related permitting and mitigation planning. The Government of B.C. has emphasized that these materials are intended to evolve over time based on testing, implementation experience, and practitioner feedback. Input from qualified environmental professionals is therefore critical to ensuring that the guidance is scientifically robust, practical to implement, and appropriately scaled across sectors and regions of British Columbia.
How to Provide Feedback
Environmental professionals are encouraged to review the materials most relevant to their area of expertise and provide comments based on technical application, field experience, and implementation considerations.
Comments may be submitted through document-specific surveys and comment forms or directly by email.
Available for Review
Changes In and About a Stream (CIAS) Best Management Practices
The Government of B.C. is updating both the general CIAS Best Management Practices document and the scope-specific BMP appendix to improve consistency, address emerging issues, and align with recent regulatory and policy updates.
Proposed updates include new and revised guidance related to stream crossings, restoration activities, stormwater outfalls, fish salvage, invasive species management, temporary diversions, monitoring, and adaptive management.
Documents:
Feedback form (please enter feedback and return as an attachment via email):
Feedback Deadline: September 4, 2026
Wetland Ecosystem Services Protocol (WESP-BC)
WESP-BC is a rapid wetland function assessment tool for non-tidal wetlands that supports evaluation of ecosystem functions and benefits and informs mitigation and compensation planning. The protocol includes a user manual, field and desktop assessment guides, Survey123 templates, and supporting analytical tools. Practitioners are encouraged to test the protocol and provide feedback on implementation and usability.
Link:
WESP-BC user manual and associated tools
Feedback Deadline: Spring 2027
Standard Procedure for Applying the Environmental Mitigation Policy to Wetlands
This draft procedure establishes a structured process for applying the environmental mitigation hierarchy within wetland permitting and authorization decisions under the WSA. It outlines expectations for progressing through avoidance, minimization, restoration on-site and offsetting of residual impacts.
The procedure also introduces wetland categorization, management objectives, offset ratios, documentation requirements and expectations for demonstrating application of the mitigation hierarchy.
Document:
Survey: Click here
Feedback deadline: August 31, 2026
Draft Wetland Environmental Mitigation Guidance
This companion document provides practical guidance, methods, and best management practices to support implementation of the mitigation hierarchy. Topics include avoidance and minimization techniques, restoration planning, wetland creation and enhancement, offset site selection, monitoring and adaptive management and performance standards and reporting.
Guidance Document:
Draft coming soon
Feedback deadline: TBC
Wetland Data Tools and Resources
New wetland data products, templates, and mapping tools have been developed to support data submission, access, and management, including the Wetland Explorer Tool, Survey123 templates, and geodatabase standards. Feedback is sought on functionality, accessibility, and integration with existing workflows.
Links:
BC Wetlands Explorer Tool (BCWET) Application
BC Wetlands Tools and Resources
Feedback Deadline: December 31, 2026
