BC Government Launches Controversial Park Lodge Strategy : WC Mediawire

The Minister of the Environment, Barry Penner, launched the Park Lodge Strategy by announcing that he would be issuing requests for proposals for the development of roofed accommodations in 12 parks including Golden Ears, Fintry, Mount Assiniboine and Wells Grey.

The Strategy is controversial because it allows private-for-profit development within park boundaries, has proceeded without public consultation, lacks tools to limit expansion of private facilities, permits helicopter and float plan traffic and would allow foreign multinationals to develop in BC parks.

“Eighty-seven percent of BC is already open for business. The thirteen percent that is set aside for protection should be off limits to private development,” said Gwen Barlee, Policy Director for the Wilderness Committee. “Private resorts and lodges should not be located within protected areas, they should be situated on the perimeters of parks where they benefit local communities while still allowing people easy access to the park.”

Freedom of information documents obtained from the BC government by the Wilderness Committee show that the BC Park Lodge Strategy also includes provisions for “major resorts” within park boundaries. According to the government documents resorts of this scale typically “include pools, tennis courts, ski hills and/or golf courses.” The documents also refer to “high end” facilities with up to 100 beds and staff housing.

“When you start managing protected areas for an economic bottom line you stop managing them for an ecological bottom line,” commented Barlee. “What happens when guests at a resort in a park want to ride snowmobiles or ATV’s in the park? This is a slippery slope towards dismantling our protected area system: parks were created to be protected from development not to be sold off to the highest bidder.”

The management of BC parks has been a hot potato for the provincial government. A series of unpopular measure, including allowing commercial logging within park boundaries, installing parking meters, weakening the Parks Act, changing park boundaries to allow for industrial development, cutting the operating budget for parks and axing government-funded park interpretive programs has resulted in sustained criticism of the provincial government. Since 2001 visits to BC parks have dropped by over 20%.

“Parks are a public legacy for the people of BC, and we need to ensure that this legacy remains intact for our children and grandchildren,” said Barlee. “The Wilderness Committee is not going to stand by and watch our park system slowly be dismantled – it is simply not an option.”

For more information contact:
Gwen Barlee, Western Canada Wilderness Committee: (604) 683-8220; cell (604) 202-0322

Bad idea. Owning lakeside property is out of reach for the average B.C. resident....this park proposal will ensure that the wealthy will the only ones to afford these parks on the front line.......leave them the way they are....older BC residents do not mind the extra few minutes of walking to appreciate the prestine wilderness.