More than 550,000 hectares will be added to the province's parks and protected areas under legislation introduced Monday, the Ministry of Environment announced.

 

However, the province will remove 2.36 hectares from Stawamus Chief Provincial Park near Squamish, potentially paving the way for a controversial sightseeing gondola project to proceed.

 

Gwen Barlee of the Wilderness Committee said the decision makes it appear the gondola is a "done deal" and is insulting to British Columbians in the absence of a formal parks consultation process.

 

"These are the parks of the people of B.C. and they have a right to have a say," she asserted.

 

The province is setting a dangerous precedent by allowing the proponent, Sea to Sky Gondola Corp., to do its own public consultation, added George Heyman of the Sierra Club.

 

"That's completely inappropriate. It should be a public and neutral responsibility ..."

 

A key part of Bill 49, the Protected Areas of B.C. Amendment Act, will add more than 413,000 hectares in northwestern B.C. by establishing 10 new conservancies and adding land to existing Atlin Provincial Park.

 

On Haida Gwaii, the bill will add 166,000 hectares of marine foreshore area to nine existing conservancies and add 611 hectares of land to five existing conservancies.

 

Emory Creek Provincial Park - 29 hectares, south of Yale - will be cancelled and transferred to the Yale First Nation to meet treaty obligations. That decision could hint at other provincial parks being sacrificed in future aboriginal negotiations around the province.

 

About 62 hectares will be removed from Dzawadi/Upper Klinaklini River Conservancy on the central coast as a result of a consultation process ordered by B.C. Supreme Court related to a proposed private hydroelectric project.

 

The planned 550-megawatt project at the southern boundary of the conservancy is a partnership of the Da'naxda'xw/ Awaetlala First Nation and Kleana Power Corporation, the province said.

 

"To take land out of a conservancy for a big power project is a big concern," Barlee said.

 

Bill 49 also upgrades two recreation areas - Cascade near Hope, and Porteau Cove on the Sea to Sky Highway - to Class A park status.

 

At Cultus Lake Provincial Park, about 11 hectares will be removed to exclude three existing public roads, while a 202-hectare foreshore area will be added.

 

For more details, go to the BC Ministry of Environment's web site.