BC NDP prepared plan to transfer 400 Crown parcels to First Nations before election call

The documents, dated September 10, 2026, outlined four proposed changes to the Forest Act. The main proposal was to allow up to 5% of the annual allowable timber cut in a given area to be removed from the harvest base without triggering compensation payments to licence holders. A separate 5% allowance already existed for access corridors such as highways, pipelines, and power lines, and the documents proposed keeping the combined maximum at 10%. The documents were prepared less than two weeks before Premier Eby called the snap election on September 22, 2026, according to Daily Hive Vancouver.

Premier David Eby confirmed at a press conference on October 15, 2026 that about 400 Crown land parcels had already been committed for transfer to First Nations through existing treaty and reconciliation agreements. Eby said some of those commitments were more than a decade old and had been publicly discussed as part of treaty negotiations. He did not provide the combined area of the parcels or the anticipated financial savings to the provincial budget, according to Daily Hive Vancouver.

Daily Hive Vancouver reported that participants in the consultation process were required to sign non-disclosure agreements. Premier Eby defended this practice as routine for sensitive government consultations. Critics said the NDAs prevented public scrutiny of a plan that could affect forestry, mining, and other resource industries on Crown land before voters went to the polls.

Rob Shaw of Northern Beat first reported on the Ministry of Forests documents on October 15, 2026. Daily Hive Vancouver published its own account on October 16, 2026. Premier Eby addressed the story at a press conference on October 15, the same day Northern Beat's report appeared.

Wes Mussio of the Homes Not Bank Machines Coalition called on the government to provide full disclosure before election day on October 24. Daily Hive Vancouver quoted Mussio as saying: 'Voters have a right to know what a government intends to do before they give it a mandate, not after.' Mussio also said the existence of the plan 'sends a chilling message to business' because deals on Crown lands could affect forestry, mining, and other resource ventures.

Eby acknowledged at his October 15 press conference that the land transfers would reduce pressure on the provincial budget, but he did not provide a specific dollar figure. Daily Hive Vancouver reported that Eby said: 'This does help reduce pressure on the provincial budget, there's no question about it. But it also enables forestry to go ahead in a number of different parts of the province.' He did not publish a financial breakdown of the anticipated savings.

The Ministry of Forests documents stated that 80% of First Nations' total annual timber harvesting allowance in British Columbia is held through affiliated businesses, with 20% held directly by First Nations. Daily Hive Vancouver cited this figure from the September 10, 2026 documents. The documents did not explain how the proposed Forest Act changes would affect that split.

The Ministry of Forests documents outlined a schedule in which cabinet would make a decision in July 2026, consultations would take place in Fall 2026, and legislation would be introduced in Spring 2027. The documents were dated September 10, 2026, twelve days before the snap election was called. The legislative schedule in the documents was set for the period after the election, according to Daily Hive Vancouver.

The BC NDP candidate for your district is listed on the party's page at /bc/provincial-2026/parties/bc-ndp, and David Eby's candidate page is at /bc/provincial-2026/candidates/david-eby. You can see all candidates and parties in the race at /bc/provincial-2026/news.