Commercialization of BC Parks
Posted on August 9th, 2006 by Shane Simpson, MLA (Vancouver-Kensington)

As you are aware, Environment Minister Barry Penner has announced a request for proposals to build private lodges and resorts in 12 provincial parks. This commercialization of British Columbia’s provincial parks will include facilities of 100+ beds. It will also allow for other amenities such as tennis courts, swimming pools etc.

Your NDP MLAs are opposed to this proposal and have called on the government to withdraw these plans. We are particularly concerned about the following aspects: We oppose any further commercialization of British Columbia’s provincial park system. Our parks are a public jewel. They belong to all British Columbians and should not be sold to the highest bidder. These facilities will constitute a major intrusion into our parks and appear to be aimed at the high end of the market. These will not be facilities that the majority of British Columbians could afford to access.

This is only the thin edge of the wedge. While there are 12 parks in this round we believe the BC Liberals have every intention of expanding this program to many more of BC’s 600 provincial parks in coming years. It will fundamentally change the way our parks operate and for whom they operate. This is being done in the middle of summer with no public consultation. We are demanding that, at a minimum, Barry Penner pull back the RFP until he has had a meaningful consultation with all British Columbians about what they want to happen in our parks.

We believe these facilities would be best encouraged to locate in communities adjacent to our existing parks so local business in those communities can benefit from the economic spin-offs of the lodges and our parks would be protected from this intrusion. We also believe the government needs to be much more forthright with the people of the province. While there are 165 sheltered accommodations in BC Parks only 6 of them would qualify as lodges. The remainder are of a much smaller scale such as cabins and shelters. What the BC Liberals are proposing is a radical change to how our parks operate and for whom.

I have attached a letter that I have sent to Environment Minister Barry Penner calling on him to withdraw the proposal or at least have meaningful consultation. If you agree this is a bad idea I would encourage you to relay that to Gordon Campbell, Barry Penner and your local MLA. BC’s Provincial Parks belong to all our citizens not to the BC Liberals. Don’t let them do this to our parks without our citizens at least having a say.

Thank you,

Shane Simpson MLA
NDP Environment Critic

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