HIS MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

1 The Wildlife Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 488, is amended by adding the following part:

Part 4 – Independent Funding Model

Review of funding model

126 (1) The minister must, by appointing a person in accordance with subsection (2), initiate a review of

(a) the effectiveness of this Act and the regulations, and

(b) an independent funding model for wildlife and habitat management that ensures all fees, licence revenues, and fines collected under the Act are spent for the purposes of the Act,

by September 1, 2023.

(2) An appointment under subsection (1) must require the person appointed to

(a) carry out the review in accordance with terms of reference, if any, specified in writing by the minister, and

(b) submit to the minister a report that sets out

(i) the findings of the review, and

(ii) the recommendations, if any, of the person appointed on how to improve the effectiveness of the Act and the regulations.

(3) The minister must lay a report under subsection (2) (b) before the Legislative Assembly as soon as practicable and, promptly after doing so, must publish the report.

Commencement

2 This Act comes into force on the date of Royal Assent.

Explanatory Note

CLAUSE 1: [Wildlife Act, section 126] requires the Minister to initiate a review by September 1, 2023.