…B.C. Premier David Eby has directed his cabinet to prioritize economic development and make it easier for corporate interests to feel confident investing in the province. Eby’s new mandate letters for cabinet focus heavily on finding ways to support B.C.’s industries — including forestry, mining and oil and gas development — by speeding up permitting processes and reducing regulatory burdens… “There were virtually no environmental directions in the letters that weren’t qualified by industry interests or by economic considerations,” said Jessica Clogg, the executive director at West Coast Environmental Law. …Sarah Korpan, government relations for Ecojustice, said the new mandates signal “the environment is nothing more than an afterthought” for the NDP government. …a government spokesperson said the NDP’s commitments to protecting old-growth forests and 30 per cent of the province’s land and water by 2030 remain intact. …Eby’s letter to new Forests Minister Ravi Parmar mentions old-growth forests only once.