The Government of British Columbia and its funding program partners (as identified in the Integrated Investment Plans listed below) are collectively investing over $100 million per year in the management and protection of B.C.’s public forests and land base.
The integrated investment planning process seeks to identify priority forest and land-based investment opportunities and link them with potential funding sources. The Integrated Investment goal is to focus investment on land manager priorities and serve multiple purposes with each dollar invested.
Each of the ministry’s eight administrative regions will articulate investment priorities through their Integrated Investment Plans. These regional plans are in various stages of development and will be posted here as they are finalized and updated. The plans communicate ministry priorities for investment and funders will refer to these plans, when available, during their assessment of project proposals, to see how projects compare to the land manager’s priorities. Accordingly, potential project proponents who have interest in submitting applications to the funders should refer to the Integrated Investment Plans to frame and guide their proposals. Nevertheless, the absence of a priority or project concept in the plan would not preclude it from being supported and/or funded, as the Ministry encourages innovation.
The Integrated Investment Plans are developed by the Integrated Investment Specialist, who work to coordinate investments on the land base, seek to link project proponents with potential funders but rarely fund projects directly. Potential applicants are encouraged to contact the Integrated Investment Specialist in their region with questions about regional priorities or if/when exploring project ideas of their own.
Northeast Region
Melanie Webster
Integrated Investment Specialist
250 850-1859
Melanie.Webster@gov.bc.ca
Omineca Region
Tory Ross
Integrated Investment Specialist
250 649-4355
Tory.Ross@gov.bc.ca
Skeena Region
Aaron Benterud
Integrated Investment Specialist
778-702-1400
Aaron.Benterud@gov.bc.ca
Cariboo Region
Nicole Strand
Integrated Investment Specialist
250 985-0063
Nicole.Strand@gov.bc.ca
Kootenay Boundary Region
Graham Brown
Integrated Investment Specialist
250 420-6177
Graham.Brown@gov.bc.ca
Thompson-Okanagan Region
Rhona Boyd
Integrated Investment Specialist
778 943-7088
Rhona.Boyd@gov.bc.ca
South Coast Region
Aaron Smeeth
Integrated Investment Specialist
778- 647-2002
Aaron.Smeeth@gov.bc.ca
West Coast Region
Graham Wells
Stewardship/Integrated Investment Specialist
250 736-6888
Graham.Wells@gov.bc.ca
Plans will be posted as they become available.