The BC government has announced $83 million in funding for the province's parks.
New campsites and expanded trails are among the plans for the cash, which is to be added to the BC Parks budget over the next three years.
The province promised an average capital budget increase of 57% in each of those years, with an average operating budget increase of 22%.
“It’s absolutely clear how deeply people care about our provincial parks,” Minister of Environment George Heyman said.
“The pandemic has brought more people than ever to visit BC Parks so they can safely spend time with family and friends while connecting to nature. Investing in our parks helps secure our magnificent natural legacy so more British Columbians can appreciate its beauty.”
The extra funding is in part a response to increased demand, the government said, with a 23% increase in visitors logged between 2014 and 2019.
In 2020, over 270,000 camping reservations were made with BC Parks.
An extra 185 sites are being added to the system for this season in response.
“BC’s parks and campgrounds are more popular than ever, which is why this investment is so timely,” said Selina Robinson, minister of finance.
“By investing in new camp spaces and improving trails and accessibility, we are creating jobs right here at home and protecting this important legacy for generations to come.”
More than 23 million people visit BC’s provincial parks every year.
