Exploration Licence Set Aside; Badger Habitat Protected

Summary#

This Gazette notice bundles three government items. It says the federal Minister set aside a decision to issue Exploration Licence 2437 for offshore Nova Scotia. It also announces that parts of three protected areas in British Columbia will have critical habitat for the American Badger jeffersonii covered under the Species at Risk Act starting 90 days after publication (around March 23, 2024). Finally, the Privy Council Office lists many open Governor in Council appointment opportunities.

What it does#

• Under the Canada‑Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act, the federal Minister responded to a decision from the Canada‑Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board to issue Exploration Licence 2437. The Minister suspended the decision and then set it aside on December 2, 2023.
• Environment and Climate Change Canada publishes that the recovery strategy identifies critical habitat for the American Badger jeffersonii (Western and Eastern populations) inside the Columbia National Wildlife Area, Vaseux‑Bighorn National Wildlife Area, and Vaseux Lake Bird Sanctuary. The protections under subsection 58(1) of the Species at Risk Act will apply 90 days after publication (December 23, 2023), i.e., around March 23, 2024.
• The Privy Council Office posts a wide set of open appointments for federal boards, agencies and Crown corporations. These are calls for applications to fill Governor in Council roles (for example, positions related to the Bank of Canada, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Canadian Human Rights Commission, and VIA Rail Canada Inc.).

Who's affected#

• The companies or parties tied to Exploration Licence 2437 and businesses or contractors planning offshore exploration in Nova Scotia may see delays or changes. The source does not name the licence holder.
• People and organizations in southern British Columbia who use, manage, or live near the named protected areas: park and wildlife managers, researchers, conservation groups, and anyone planning projects or activities in those areas.
• Canadians who want to apply for federal boards or agency positions, and the sectors served by those boards and agencies (banking, housing, transportation, human rights, etc.).

Why it matters#

• Setting aside the exploration licence decision pauses or stops a proposed step toward offshore exploration. That can delay projects, affect companies and local planning, and reflect federal–provincial coordination on offshore activity.
• Declaring critical habitat inside federal wildlife areas gives that land clearer legal protection under the Species at Risk Act. That can change what activities are allowed and guide recovery work for the endangered badger.
• The appointment notices shape who will run important public boards and agencies. Those appointments influence government decisions that affect services, regulation, and public policy across many sectors.