APRIL 2, 2012 UPDATE: The Farmers' Advocacy Office has responded to the Ministry of Energy and Mines consultation paper on information sharing by the Surface Rights Board. Read the FAO's response.

Government Action Required

After

days

landowners are still waiting for the BC Government to pass regulations giving the Surface Rights Board the tools necessary to make surface lease information available to the public.

Without access to this surface lease information, landowners remain at a disadvantage when negotiating for fair compensation.

The Oil and Gas Activities Act and amendments to the PNG Act came into force days ago, on October 4, 2010, yet the Surface Rights Board still lacks government regulations to

• penalize companies that do not file their landowner surface leases, and
• publish the surface leases that are filed

Right now, Peace region landowners may view those leases that have been filed, between the hours of 8:30 and 4:30 at the offices of the Surface Rights Board in Richmond!

The Farmers' Advocacy Office is working with the Surface Rights Board to access the small number of surface leases that have been filed by some companies, and to make them available on our Surface Lease Map.

However, until all surface leases are filed, and made publicly accessible, landowners remain at a disadvantage.

Now is the time to level the playing field, comply with the law , and equip landowners with the information they were promised!

Read more in our Quarterly Reports...