Regional Development in the Northern Rockies: Laying the Groundwork for Success The Northern Rockies region of British Columbia, in northeastern British Columbia, covers one-tenth of the province. It is a land of great beauty, rich in natural resources. The Northern Rockies Regional Municipality (NRRM) is the regional government for the region. This land is also home to three First Nations and their traditional territories: Fort Nelson First Nation, Acho Dene Koe (Fort Liard First Nation) and Prophet River First Nation. To ensure the Northern Rockies reaches its full potential in the years ahead, NRRM and Fort Nelson First Nation are working together. They are calling on other public and private sector interests to contribute to a new regional development strategy. The Northern Rockies: Tremendous Opportunity. Great Responsibility. The Northern Rockies region today boasts and work in a region and may make it difficult land use planning, property tax policies and 30% of BC’s natural gas production, and for industry to attract and retain key personnel. business issues that fall within its jurisdiction. has the largest reserves of shale gas in the A better approach is to commit to infrastructure In 2009 the NRRM introduced BC’s first province, possibly in Canada. There are 40 and environmental planning in advance for fixed industrial tax ratios policy. NRRM now natural gas fields in the Fort Nelson area, and growth regions such as the Northern Rockies. applies the same tax rate to utilities, light interest is growing among gas producers in The Province of BC, for example, has invested industry and major industry, and offers each shale gas production, particularly in the Horn in infrastructure for the Peace River district, and the advantage of predictability and stability. River Basin. Land sales in the area topped $2 this has helped that region considerably. This single-tier approach to taxation was billion between 2006 and 2008. supported by the Canadian Energy Pipeline Shale gas is an unconventional gas source, the KEY INTERESTS IN THE REGION Association (CEPA) and Canadian Association extraction of which demands a considerable PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUmbIA of Petroleum Producers (CAPP). commitment of time, money and resources. The Province of British Columbia has made A 2007 capital needs assessment conducted While the economic feasibility of exploiting clear its support for natural gas development. by NRRM underscores the importance of shale gas reserves is under evaluation, current Moreover, BC is the only Canadian province infrastructure to secure a good quality of life of land sales and drilling activity suggests an to target the development of unconventional its citizens and to attract a suitable workforce upswing in activity is ahead. resources, including shale gas, as a priority. and service industries, such as those expected Shale gas development holds promise for for the Horn River Basin development. BC’s oil and natural gas producers have investors, producers, all orders of government been offered new incentives. The Province NRRM has stated that it does not want to and the people of the region. Yet success in of BC recently announced a 2% provincial fund infrastructure through new taxation and exploiting this comparatively new resource royalty rate for all wells drilled between is undertaking discussions with the Province will call for an high level of collaboration September 2009 and June 2010, plus a 15% of BC to pursue options for a provincial among sectors. This means a commitment to increase in the existing royalty deductions infrastructure investment. work together to secure the social, economic for deep gas drilling. and environmental health of the region, and to make community, economic and There is opportunity for development in the environmental planning a priority. Northern Rockies, particularly in the Horn River Basin. The timing may be ideal for the Province, Both the NRRM and local First Nations have an together with the Regional Municipality and interest in seeing all natural resource companies First Nations, and with input from industry and hire local people and retain local service the community, to address planning issues, industries. As well, natural resource industries including a regional development strategy. have an interest in working with a community that is able and willing to welcome newcomers. NORTHERN ROCKIES It is critical that infrastructure and services REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY keep pace with development. The Northern Rockies Regional Without sufficient planning, there are risks on Municipality was incorporated in February every front. Experience from Alberta shows that 2009. NRRM is a unique entity that came rapid growth related to oil sands development about through a voluntary amalgamation was accompanied by significant environmental of the Town of Fort Nelson (created in 1971 degradation and deficiencies in housing, waste as a resource municipality) and the regional treatment and health care services in some district. The Municipality is now the regional communities. The ripple effects of inadequate authority for 10% of the land in BC and its infrastructure is discouraging for all who live intention is to take a unified approach to Kluane Liar National Park Dezadeash d R. Cormack Lake Kakisa Lake Slave R. Lake Yukon Te Tathlina Lake slin R. Tazin Kusawa Lake Trout Lake Lake The NorthernCopp Lake Rockies Buffalo Lake Tagish Lake Acho Dene Koe d R. Liar (Fort Liard First Nation) The NorthernWood BuffaloRockies National Park Regional Municipality and First Nations atshenshini Athabasca T Teslin Lake communities together span a largeLake area of northeastern BC. Leaders in R. Maxhamish Lake Bistcho Lake Hay R. R. Dease e Atlin Lake the communities are ready to work with natural resource industries to Peac Margaret Lake Atlin Lake Provincial Park Fort Nelson R. plan a healthy, prosperous future for the region Kotcho Lake Claire Fort Nelson Taku R. Fort Nelson Athabas Muncho Lake Zama Lake Provincial Park First Nation ca R. Hay R. C P h Kechika R. r inch o phet R. Gardiner Lake a Prophet River ga First Nation R. Stikine R. Namur Lake Northern Rockies Wa ba RegionalNotikewin Municipalitysca R. Kinaskan Provincial Park R. Fort McMurray Kwadacha Wilderness Lake Spatsizi Plateau Clearwater Wilderness Provincial Park Bison Lake Fort Liard Mt. 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Saskatchewan Babine Lake Stuart Lake Elk Island R. y National Park Stuart Ri Smok ver Fraser Lake TREATY 8 LANDS & HORN RIVER BASIN Franeois Lake Nechako R. Naikoon Morice Lake Provincial Park Willmore Wilderness THE NORTHERN ROCKIES – area of shale Ootsa Lake Prince George o R. Fraser R. Provincial Park Pigeon ak REGIONAL MUNICIPALITYLake gas reserves Nech Jasper N . Eutsuk Lake National Sas Bowron k Tetachuck Lake Mount Robson Park atche Tweedsmuir Lake Park Provincial Park w Provincial Park an Red Deer Quesnel Lake At h abasca Hamber eer R. D Wells Gray R. d n Prov. Park Re Provincial Park o Kinbasket Lake homps R T ed Dee Banff N. r Charlotte Lake National Yoho Glacier Park Col THE NORTHERNational N ROCKIES COmmUNITY AgREEMENT Chi um National Park Park lco Calgary tin R. b ia Bow R. Co Mount Revelstoke lu The Northern mbiaRockiesMt. Regional Municipality and the local First Nations National Park Assiniboine thko R. Chilko Lake Prov. Park Elbow Sheep Wildland oma Shuswap Lake Provincial Park H Fraser R. have a growingKootena relationshipy based on cooperation and goodwill. The Upper Arrow Lake National Park Kamloops relationshipMonashee of NRRM, Fort Nelson First Nation and Prophet River First S. Thompson Whiteswan Lake Thompson Provincial Park Birkenhead Lake p Provincial Park Provincial Park Columbia Lake Nationuswa includes collaborationTop of the Worl donLethbridge local service delivery. Sh Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park n R. Schoen Lake Valhalla Okanagan Lake dma Provincial Park ProvincialSlocan Provincial Park Ol In JulyPark 2009Lake NRRMKootenay and FNFN signed the “Northern Rockies Regional Garibaldi Lake Provincial Park y Waterton Lakes Okanagan Mtn. Lower otena Ko CommunityArrow Agreement.”K This AgreementNational Park acknowledges the Provincial Park o Lake o ten a N. Fk. Fl Golden Ears Oka Strathcona y Provincial Park respective governance responsibilities, rights and interests of each Provincial Park Similkame n ag a Cathedral an thea Vancouver Provincial d Park party and commits them to working together to jointly represent en Koo tena Manning Provincial regional and respectivei community interests. Both the NRRM Park C and FNFNolumbia recognize the great tremendous potential for resource Skagit development, including that in the Horn River Basin. At the same time, they want to see projects advance with care. Everett Spokane FIRST NATIONS This will almost certainly prove true for shale IT’S TiME TO WORK TOGETHER gas, an unconventional resource that is the The Northern Rockies region of BC lies The Northern Rockies is a region set for focus of production in the Horn River Basin. within the traditional territories of Fort economic expansion. The Northern Rockies Nelson First Nation, Acho Dene Koe (Fort NRRM and local First Nations in the region are Regional Municipality and Fort Nelson First Liard First Nation) and Prophet River First building stronger relationships and working Nation are preparing to embrace change, Nation.