VICTORIA - The province has introduced new legislation that will establish B.C.'s parks as an international tourism destination and offer new resort and recreation opportunities to British Columbians and visitors.

The Parks and Protected Areas Statutes Amendment Act was introduced today by Water, Land and Air Protection Minister Joyce Murray and is part of the government's goal of building a park system that continues to welcome and cater to all visitors.

"We committed in the throne speech that we want to see B.C.'s parks be major magnets for tourism, and Premier Campbell reiterated that pledge in September," said Murray. "Our parks are for people - we want to ensure the public is welcome and that there's a range of recreational opportunities to attract people to our parks in a way that maximizes their tourism potential."

These changes will broaden the appeal of parks beyond the traditional camping experience. This will allow the park system to keep pace with changing local and international demands and demographics. The changes will also provide new and exciting economic opportunities for rural communities neighbouring parks.

As with existing facilities, any new development must complement the park's recreational values and be situated so it respects the park's wilderness and conservation objectives. Any new development will be subject to impact assessments and stakeholder consultation as required under the Park Act.

"We want to attract more people to our parks by providing more choice and more opportunities," Murray said. "The more people experience nature, the more they grow to respect and appreciate it and that is just one of the benefits of this change."

By creating opportunities through park lodges and recreational activities and clarifying that new facilities are permitted in parks, the changes clearly show that the province's parks are there for the benefit of communities and individuals as well as wilderness protection.

British Columbia's provincial park system is already home to a number of lodges, many of which have been in operation for decades. These facilities play a significant role in attracting park visitors and make an important contribution to local economies.

"Tourism already adds $26 million each day to B.C.'s economy," said Don Monsour, Council of Tourism Associations president. "The Council of Tourism Associations is excited about government's plan to build a more inviting and inclusive park system and the resulting opportunities for B.C.'s visitors, our communities and our tourism industry."

The act also clarifies the rules for directional drilling under parks and protected areas and is consistent with government's New Era commitment to ensure no mining or logging is permitted in parks.

Directional drilling is currently permitted under 15 of the province's protected areas and was first allowed in 1997. Any new operation will be subject to the same environmental rules and safeguards as existing drilling operations.

The new act also establishes boundary changes for seven parks, six of which were previously introduced as part of the Water, Land and Air Protection Statutes Amendment Act, in May 2003. The seventh boundary change enables the removal of approximately one per cent of Graham Laurier Park and designates it as a protected area.

This designation enables access through the park along an existing roadbed, rather than requiring construction of an entirely new road outside the park's boundaries. The area will be returned to full park status once access is no longer required. Stakeholder consultation and an impact assessment would be required before any access could be granted.

Information on directional drilling can be found at online.  

Contact:

Liz Bicknell
Communications Director
250 387-9973