Did you go camping this year?
If you did, you were one of more than 3.1 million campers who stayed in provincial parks during the 2021 camping season.
Discover Camping, the BC Parks online booking platform, saw more than 260,000 reservations, marking the highest volume of bookings on record.
As a result, BC Parks has dedicated a significant investment to expand and enhance opportunities for outdoor recreation, including new campsites, trails and upgrades to facilities.
$21.5 million dollars will be invested over the next three years, part of an $83 million dollar budget increase to BC Parks operating overall.
On Vancouver Island, Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park and Miracle Beach Provincial Park are set to benefit from this investment.
Improvements to Miracle Beach Provincial Park include trail enhancements, including a new bicycle flow track and accessibility upgrades.
Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park projects include improving accessibility for day-use trails.
The province is consulting with First Nations governments as well as environmental assessments before moving forward with the park projects and campsite expansions.
“We are taking strides to ensure our parks are inclusive and welcome for all,” said Kelly Greene, Parliamentary Secretary for Environment,
“As well as our plans for more campsites, improved trails and better accessibility, we are working in partnership with First Nations to reflect Indigenous history and culture in our provincial parks and deepen our understanding of connection to the land.”
You can view the full list of parks below:
- Cypress Provincial Park
- Garibaldi Provincial Park
- Golden Ears Provincial Park
- Stawamus Chief Provincial Park
- Cultus Lake
- Miracle Beach Provincial Park
- Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park
- Sun-Oka Provincial Park
- Babine Mountains Provincial Park
- Lakelse Lake Provincial Park
