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Taking Care of Provincial Parks

Land & Fresh Water

CPAWS-BC and its partners have been campaigning for bold budget action for years

It’s no secret: if you’ve ever hiked, paddled, or rode on horseback through one of BC’s provincial parks, you’ll know they contain some of the world’s most beautiful and wild places. From high alpine meadows bursting with wildflowers to towering ancient forests and crystal clear lakes, BC’s +1000 parks are places of peace—places we can connect to nature and find reprieve from the hustle and bustle of city life. Sadly, all is not quite well within our existing parks. With human pressure increasing in these places, we need to take care of our parks, like they take care of us.

Goal

Well-funded Provincial Parks

Quick Facts

Size

Over 14 million hectares

Location

Throughout BC

Number of Species

Thousands

1,033

Provincial parks, recreation areas, conservancies, ecological reserves and protected areas

Why Action is Needed

What's at stake?

Provincial parks are key players in the fight against climate change and species extinction—crises that we hope to halt, so that nature can thrive forever. Thankfully, our call was heard! In early 2021, the Government of BC announced a historic $80 million boost over three years to BC’s provincial parks—one that’s been overdue for decades. These funds could help hire more parks staff, build more backcountry trails, repair old guest facilities, and more.

2000: BC’s Parks receive huge budget cut
2010: BC Auditor General finds that BC Parks isn’t meeting mandate to preserve nature in parks
2016: $35M budget boost over three years, BC Parks Foundation created
2021: $83M budget boost over three years announced in Budget 2021

Solutions

Our parks continue to face tremendous pressure as more people visit them

High visitor counts mean that park rangers are still stretched thin, trying their hardest to enforce regulations that protect nature. Nature, animals, plants, and humans suffer in parks without enough funding. As visitation increases, so does littering, dangerous wildlife interactions, and off-trail ventures. When bridges, paths, outhouses, and tent pads break or go missing, they aren’t repaired or replaced—ultimately taking away from enjoyable and meaningful experiences in parks. Together, let’s make sure the provincial government knows that having world-class provincial parks is a top priority for British Columbians.