VANCOUVER – In a first for relations between the B.C. government and First Nations, the province is asking for aboriginal input on environmental stewardship around natural gas development.

Aboriginal Relations Minister John Rustad says in the past the province would release a plan for development and then ask for comment, but this time there will be collaboration between First Nations, industry and the government from the start.

Rustad says they want to have a template for First Nations collaboration in place by this November.

Robert Dennis, the resource development lead for the Wet’suwet’en (wet-So’-AH’-den) First Nation, says the plan addresses aboriginal complaints that government employs a top-down approach on resource development issues.

Dennis says this plan could result in other agreements, such as revenue sharing for a natural gas industry that the provincial government says could be worth billions.

He says this will give First Nations a chance to hold the government’s feet to the fire over profit-sharing and environmental standards.