About - Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society BC

About CPAWS-BC

Governments have a choice: To take bold action to defend against the decline of species, or to continue to watch iconic animals like caribou and orca vanish from our ecosystems forever. CPAWS-BC is committed to helping them make the best decision.

CPAWS-BC is part of one of Canada’s oldest non-profit conservation groups. We protect wilderness in every corner of BC and deep into the ocean. We have been defending BC since 1978, and are dedicated to keeping BC’s natural environment thriving forever. Nature is BC’s best hope.

The world is facing a biodiversity crisis. Decades of climate change and unchecked industrial development are putting nature under more pressure than ever. British Columbia is on the frontlines of the fight to protect our last remaining large, intact natural land and seascapes, and the plants and animals that depend on them.

CPAWS-BC has a plan to stem the nature emergency and ensure resilient ecosystems that can weather the storms of a changing climate. When nature thrives, so do we.

WE PROTECT LAND AND WATER

CPAWS-BC defends public lands and the ocean. We work with Indigenous, provincial and federal governments with the goal of creating large protected and interconnected areas: places that can nurse nature through climate change and shelter plants and animals forever.

Most of the land, freshwater and ocean in BC and on the coast is held in public trust. It is our shared responsibility to protect it for future generations.

Our work to safeguard large parks, protected areas and wildlife corridors has been instrumental in protecting precious places across the province. Join us in the fight to safeguard special places across the province including Tatshenshini, Muskwa Kechika, South Okanagan-Similkameen, Gwaii Haanas (the southern tip of Haida Gwaii), and the Scott Islands.

ID: Towering mountain range over winding river.

Tatshenshini - Alsek by Doug Knuth via Flickr - 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)

ID: sunrises over distant mountains in golden grasslands

ID:Sea Urchin, starfish, sponges in shallow lagoon.

ID: Five puffins sit on grassy cliff over ocean.

OUR COMMITMENT

CPAWS-BC works on the stolen lands and waters of Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous Peoples have stewarded their territories since time immemorial, and continue to today.

The conservation movement in Canada was founded on white supremacy and actively sought to erase Indigenous Peoples. One way was the forcible removal of Indigenous Peoples from their land and water, and the attempted severing from their culture. The whiteness of conservation still remains in both leadership and values, which continues to perpetuate systemic oppression and erasure of Indigenous Peoples. But Indigenous Peoples have resisted and endured. As a conservation organization, we have a responsibility to decolonize our work and to ensure that we are supporting Indigenous stewardship, resilience and resurgence.

We, the staff and Board at CPAWS-BC, recognize that decolonization is an ongoing process that requires all of us to be actively involved and responsible.

CPAWS-BC is committed to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion within every aspect of our work to protect lands, inland waters, and ocean. We commit to be more inclusive, respectful, and honour Indigenous Peoples in all aspects of our work.

Click to expand our commitments in the tabs below.

Inclusive Culture

We will intentionally create an inclusive organizational culture that supports Indigenous colleagues, Board Members, volunteers, and partners.

Create space at monthly Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion (JEDI) meetings and training on topics related to intersectionality of Indigenous Peoples, conservation, and other social justice topics to learn and challenge our practices
At the beginning of weekly staff meetings, we make time for a Land Acknowledgment followed by a space to discuss and reflect on a topic related to Indigenous Peoples and the lands and waters that surround us
Annually evaluate our hiring practices to ensure we are creating inclusive hiring practices
Ensure all staff and Board are certified by Indigenous Awareness Canada (IAC) or equivalent so that non-Indigenous staff will have a better understanding of the lived experiences of Indigenous Peoples• Build flexible job and volunteer structures to meet cultural needs and responsibilities (e.g. time off for cultural events, gatherings, etc.)

We will work with our Indigenous partners to purposefully incorporate Indigenous Knowledge into campaign and organizational strategies when welcomed to do so.

Work with Nations to collectively build campaigns in their territories based on shared values
Adapt campaign language, strategies and goals when consulting with Indigenous partners
Learn about First Nations cultural connection to areas we collaboratively work
Learn how to and practice using Indigenous place names instead of colonial names when campaigning
- On maps
- Campaign Briefs
- Reports

We will advocate for Indigenous co-governance and co-management of protected areas, and support other types of Indigenous-led conservation where we have shared values.

Prioritize and highlight the need for co-governance and co-management of protected areas in all conversations with colonial governments
Written submissions
In-person or virtual stakeholder sessions
One-on-one meetings
Briefing notes/packages
Engage with Indigenous partners to define what co-governance and co-management would look like for them
Educate ourselves and colonial governments what co-governance/management is and what is can achieve based on above
Have open dialogue with Indigenous partners on what “support” could look like, in cases where we’re not directly advocating for the initiative with government or the public

We will bring Indigenous Peoples into the conservation movement where they have been excluded.

Creating digital content and events that feature Indigenous panelists, quotes, stories and testimony
Maps with land acknowledgements – consult with Nations whose territory is being depicted and have approval on the wording and the map itself prior to use
Reach out to Nations when we hear about opportunities (such as funding or projects) in their territories
Co-designing public content and communications opportunities with Indigenous partners
- E.g. creating a presentation together rather than saying “you have 30mins to…”
Pushing colonial governments to recognize Indigenous rights and title to areas we are working in, and to ensure that these governments are including the Nations in the decision-making processes concerning the lands and waters

We will focus on deepening relationships with Indigenous Peoples we partner with whose land and ocean we work on.

Co-developing working agreements with Indigenous partners (Memorandum of Understanding or another form of culturally-appropriate agreement)
Providing CPAWS-BC campaign updates and information to our Indigenous partners (e.g. colonial government updates, in-house research, etc.)
Amplifying news and stories from Indigenous partners

We will stand beside our Indigenous partners at stakeholder and government discussions on conservation.

Outreach to Indigenous Peoples in areas we’re active in to incorporate Indigenous guidance into CPAWS-BC input to government consultations or stakeholder processes
Reinforce shared vision in our contributions to conversations, discussion forums, written input processes, etc.
Include in public comms during consultation processes where appropriate
Check with Indigenous partners on upcoming consultations processes (e.g. make sure there’s Indigenous involvement before participating; make sure they’re aware of all processes we’re invited to)
Seeking guidance from our Indigenous partners to ensure that our participation is viewed as standing beside them

We will push ourselves and the broader conservation movement to challenge our engagement in decolonization and to hold each other accountable.

Advocate for Indigenous co-governance and co-management of protected areas in conversations with CPAWS, board, other ENGOs
Sharing our decolonization work and processes with other organizations to support broader decolonization
Seek and create opportunities among ENGOs to meet, share ideas, and to collaborate while we collectively move along a path of decolonization
Work with our ENGO partners on challenging the environmental movement’s white supremacy
- e.g. skills resource sharing, giving feedback, etc.
Prioritizing Indigenous-owned and led businesses when possible

We will offer meaningful support and resources to Indigenous conservation processes where welcomed, when we are able, and there are shared goals.

Creating a services page on our website for groups to reach out for support from CPAWS-BC
Advise rather than offer to take on campaigns
State clear goal alignment that we’re looking for
Actively listen first when invited into Indigenous conservation processes
Coordinating ENGO groups as stakeholder representatives to provide advice to Indigenous-led conservation processes where welcomed
Using our channels, reach, media relations and networks to amplify Indigenous voices in conservation processes

PLEASE JOIN US

You can help safeguard homes for grizzly bear, huge colonies of seabirds, fragile grasslands, endangered orca habitat, and vital stretches of boreal forest. Please join us and help keep British Columbia wild forever.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Do you have a justice, equity, diversity and inclusion statement and how does it influence your work?
We, the staff and Board at CPAWS-BC, recognize that upholding the values of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion of oppressed and repressed voices and perspectives is an ongoing process that requires us all to be actively involved and responsible.

Our commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion

CPAWS-BC is committed to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion within every aspect of our work to protect lands, inland waters, and ocean. We commit to be more inclusive and respectful to racialized and oppressed people.
- We will intentionally work to create an inclusive organizational culture that supports a diverse staff, Board, volunteers, and partners.
- We will support staff and volunteers who challenge the pervasive dominant culture including, but not limited to, white supremacy and colonial legacy.
- We will purposefully incorporate active principles of justice and equity into campaign and organizational strategies.
- We will push ourselves and the broader conservation movement to challenge traditional power structures and narratives in conservation.
- We will prevent our intrusion on space being claimed and reclaimed by oppressed peoples in the conservation movement.
- We will stand beside historically silenced voices of our partners at stakeholder and government discussions on conservation.
- We will listen to and embrace a diversity of narratives in our work.
- We will take leadership from the diversity of people who call this place home.
We will intentionally work to reduce barriers to:
- Accessing the outdoors; and
- Participating in the processes of creating and managing protected areas.
We do this in order to ensure that:
- Biological diversity, including humans, can survive and thrive in a changing climate; and
- Everyone will have clean air, clean water, and food sovereignty.
Also see our commitment to decolonization on the “about” page of our website.
What is your commitment to decolonization?

CPAWS-BC works on the stolen lands and waters of Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous Peoples have stewarded their territories since time immemorial, and continue to today.

The conservation movement in Canada was founded on white supremacy and actively sought to erase Indigenous Peoples. One way was the forcible removal of Indigenous Peoples from their land and water, and the attempted severing from their culture. The whiteness of conservation still remains in both leadership and values, which continues to perpetuate systemic oppression and erasure of Indigenous Peoples. But Indigenous Peoples have resisted and endured. As a conservation organization, we have a responsibility to decolonize our work and to ensure that we are supporting Indigenous stewardship, resilience and resurgence.

We, the staff and Board at CPAWS-BC, recognize that decolonization is an ongoing process that requires all of us to be actively involved and responsible.

CPAWS-BC is committed to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion within every aspect of our work to protect lands, inland waters, and ocean. We commit to be more inclusive, respectful, and honour Indigenous Peoples in all aspects of our work.

Also see our commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in the FAQs.
What are you doing to facilitate systemic change in the broader conservation movement?

We commit to learning from our mistakes, listening to people who hold us accountable, and charting a future where we do better. We still have a lot to learn.

CPAWS-BC is committed to a path toward a more inclusive, safe and accessible space for Indigenous, black and racialized members, staff and volunteers, to ensure their voices are heard and most importantly to create change in and through our programs and the sector. We recognize that we are on a path, and have and will continue to make mistakes. We commit to learning from our mistakes, listening to people who hold us accountable, and charting a future where we do better. We still have a lot to learn.

Policies and Procedures

Through a collaborative process and with the help of paid Indigenous, black and racialized consultants/facilitators we have developed an acknowledgment and decolonization commitment and a justice, equity, diversity and inclusion statement. We use these commitments to guide our work, to inform our programming, advocacy and administrative processes such as hiring, promotions and pay raises.

Staff training:

Since 2017, we have prioritized regular monthly trainings around decolonization, anti-racism, unconscious bias, allyship (versus performative allyship) and other topics for all staff. These trainings often include connecting with external paid speakers and offering paid time for staff to attend these and other trainings. We believe investing time and money is key to demonstrate the importance that this has across the organization and to stress that we continuously strive to learn, question and improve how we show up, do our work and engage with others inside and outside of the organization. All staff are required to be certified by Indigenous Awareness Canada.

Staff recruitment:

We follow a process designed in partnership with equity advisors to actively reduce barriers to employment at each step of hiring, promotions and compensation. All job call-outs are based on skills and experience and not qualifications (eg. a degree), and the review process is done with names and identifying features removed to support limiting biases. We continue to improve and evolve this process.

If you or someone you know is interested to join CPAWS-BC team, more information is available here.

Learn more about our commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, our commitment to decolonization and our Board recruitment processes in the FAQs.
What actions are you taking to diversify your Board of Directors?
CPAWS-BC is committed to a path toward a more inclusive, safe and accessible space for Indigenous, black and racialized members, staff and volunteers, to ensure their voices are heard and most importantly to create change in and through our programs and the sector.

Board of Directors training:

All of the current board members have participated in Indigenous Awareness Training, Decolonizing Practices and most recently a board recruitment training.

Board of Directors recruitment:

Over the past few years, there has been a profound board renewal process that has seen many internal shifts from becoming an intentional governance board, to reviewing board policies and procedures, to reducing the number of directors and pushing for board development specifically in the area of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.

We have long identified the majority whiteness of the board as a serious issue that needs addressing and in the current recruitment process, we are taking the following concrete steps:

Frequently reaching out to our Indigenous-led partner organizations with whom we hold existing relationships to recruit indigenous candidates from within and outside of Metro Vancouver.

Connecting with organizations to recruit often racialized newcomer and immigrant community members.

Seeking an intentional and proactive recruitment process that prioritizes relationship-building and trust-building with interested candidates of racialized communities.

If you or someone you know is interested to join CPAWS-BC staff team or Board of Directors, more information is available here.
Is the CPAWS-BC office accessible?
Here is a glance at what accessibility looks like at our office right now. Contact us by phone or email with any questions.
- Ground level access with elevator. Wheelchair and scooter accessible entrance on Cordova Street.
- 312 Main is accessible by several bus lines. TransLink’s Trip Planner will help you to find your way to our building.
- There is no on-site parking, however there are several parking lots in the area.
- Indoor bike parking area on the ground floor.
- Smudging is welcomed.
- Gender-inclusive restrooms that are wheelchair accessible
- At present, our meetings are held in English and do not have sign-language or multilingual interpretation. Closed captioning is available for most virtual meetings and recorded events.
- Pet-friendly space.
Individuals are accepted inclusive of race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, and physical or cognitive abilities. We are mindful in creating an inclusive space for people experiencing barriers due to mental health, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, body size or abilities, social condition, addiction, and age. Access to 312 Main can be restricted as a result of individuals perpetrating acts of discrimination or harassment.

Additional COVID-19 Safety Protocols
- Persons who are exhibiting cold or flu-like symptoms or are required to self-isolate are not permitted to enter the building
- Face masks are strongly recommended
- Sanitizing materials provided for routine cleaning and surface disinfecting in common areas
- Maintain physical distancing throughout building and offices where possible
- HVAC system with MERV 11 filters and MERV 11 Filters. Hospital grade MERV 13 Filters.
- Elevators – Maximum 2 people
Why do you have your pronouns after your titles?

We understand that we cannot assume to know each others’ pronouns by our names or appearance. For some of us, it is a privilege not to have to worry about which pronoun will be used based on how our gender is perceived. If we fail to respect someone else’s gender identity, it is not only disrespectful and hurtful but also oppressive.

The CPAWS-BC team intends to challenge the belief that all pronouns can be assumed and practices sharing of gender pronouns to create a supportive community for all people. Read more here.
What does "wilderness" mean to CPAWS-BC?

Wilderness is not bound by a perception of remote areas uninhabited by people. All people’s health and well-being, livelihood and survival are dependent on nature. Historical, environmental, and political circumstances have shaped wilderness in BC. When you add your voice to defend the wilderness, your story helps support a more sustainable relationship with nature so wild lands, freshwater and in the ocean can thrive now and forever.

Our commitment to honour the wild means taking action with reciprocity for nature. We do this to shelter biodiversity and ensure resilient ecosystems that can weather the storms of climate change caused by human settlement and industrial development. In doing so, we remember the nature, culture, and history that has brought us to this moment, and choose a bold path forward in conservation.
I’m attending a CPAWS-BC virtual event. What can I expect using Zoom?
Where are your Annual Reports and Financial Statements?
See how your support helps to protect against the biodiversity crisis and ensure resilient land and oceanscapes that can weather the storms of climate change.
- CPAWS-BC Annual Report and Financial Picture
- CPAWS Impact Reports and Financial Statement
What is the difference between CPAWS-BC and CPAWS?

Founded in 1963, CPAWS has helped protect over 400,000 square kilometres of threatened areas across Canada. The British Columbia chapter was founded in 1979 and is one of 13 CPAWS chapters across Canada.

CPAWS is a non-profit, grassroots-based conservation organization. We remain the only national non-profit organization devoted exclusively to protected public lands, freshwater, and ocean.