Crown Land: Indicators and Statistics - Ministry of Forests

Crown land uses and Crown land
management practices have changed
over time as a result of new environmental
regulations. In earlier times, when little or no
environmental regulation was in place, it was
not uncommon for industrial practices in sectors
such as oil and gas, forestry and mining to result
in contamination (or potential contamination) of
Crown land.
If not addressed, contaminated sites have
the potential to affect human health and the
environment through the release of substances
that may contaminate ecosystems. Managing,
and cleaning up contaminated sites has positive
environmental, social and economic outcomes
and shows a commitment to the protection and
stewardship of provincial lands and water.
Section 53 of the Environmental Management
Act defines a “contaminated site” as an area
of land in which the soil or any ground water
lying beneath it, or the water or the underlying
sediments, contains:
(a) a hazardous waste, or
(b) another prescribed substance
in quantities or concentrations exceeding
prescribed risk-based or numerical criteria or
standards or conditions.
The Crown Contaminated Sites program,
administered by the Ministry of Forests, Lands and
Natural Resource Operations, is responsible for
the management of provincial contaminated sites
to ensure the protection of human health and the
environment.
The Program was established in 2003 in response
to a report called “Managing Contaminated Sites
on Provincial Crown Lands”, issued by the Auditor
General. The report estimated that there were
Crown Land:
Indicators and
88 Statistics Report
Box 3 — Contaminated Sites on Crown Land
2,000 known or potential contaminated sites in
BC. As of 2008/2009, remediation was underway
or completed at 67 sites on Crown land. A total of
19 of these sites have been identified as priority
sites for cleanup based on potential high risks to
human health and the environment.
There are numerous examples of the benefits that
result from remediation of contaminated sites, not
only for the environment, but also for the social
and economic well-being of British Columbians:
• Britannia Mine: once the largest copper
producer in the British Commonwealth and
the largest source of metal pollution in North
America, this site is now being reclaimed
and turned into a waterfront community
providing employment opportunities
and housing, while protecting public and
environmental health.
• Pacific Place: once an 82-hectare contaminated
industrial site in downtown Vancouver, this
site has been transformed into a healthy
and vibrant community of almost 13,000
residents, with parkland, residential housing,
community centres and commercial zones.
• Musqueam First Nation parkland: once a
contaminated area, 3.14 hectares of Crown
land on this site was remediated before
transfer to the Musqueam First Nation in
2007 for use as an urban park.
For additional information, visit the Crown Land
Restoration Branch website.