News Release - July 19, 2014

Province-wide actions call for repeal of BC’s Park Amendment Act

CHILLIWACK/SOOKE – Today in recognition of Canada Parks Day, July 19, the Wilderness Committee is taking part in a province-wide effort by several BC environmental and community groups to protect BC’s much-loved provincial park system. The push comes in response to a recent law, the Park Amendment Act, which allows proponents of heavy industrial projects like pipelines and logging roads to gain access to parks and protected areas.

“We will be at two of BC’s most popular provincial parks today: Bridal Veil Falls, located near Chilliwack in the Fraser Valley and Juan de Fuca, on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island,” said Joe Foy, the Wilderness Committee’s National Campaign Director.

“Our parks are in some serious trouble as a result of this new legislation, so today we stand up for them,” said Foy.

Provincial parks throughout BC will be the focus of today’s events, organized by the Wilderness Committee, Sierra Club BC and the BC Chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS BC) to educate the public about the industrial pressures that BC’s park system now faces because of the Park Amendment Act. The Act, which passed earlier this year with no public consultation, allows for industrial research in protected areas and paves the way for removal of park lands under BC’s Park Boundary Adjustment Policy.

“Pipeline giant Kinder Morgan already has a permit to conduct research in Bridal Veil Falls Park, and it’s just one of five protected areas that are threatened by the company’s proposed tar sands pipeline. Rather than clearing the path for pipelines and other industrial projects, our provincial government should be stepping up to expand and improve the world-class park system that British Columbians have worked so hard to establish,” said Foy.

Parks advocates across the province will be asking visitors to sign mail-in postcards addressed to the BC Minister of Environment, Mary Polak, urging her to repeal the Park Amendment Act. More than 167,000 people have already signed a petition asking the provincial government to repeal the controversial legislation.

“Some of my best memories were made in provincial parks,” said Coste. “The fact that the provincial government won’t even leave these incredible places off-limits to industrial development is shameful.”

“The response we’ve received from our members about this has been amazing – if the government thinks the people of BC are going to sit quietly and watch our parks be destroyed, they’re in for a big surprise,” Coste added.

Actions led by the Wilderness Committee will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the following locations:

• Bridal Veil Falls Provincial Park (at the park entrance) – contact Joe Foy
• Juan de Fuca Provincial Park (at the entrance to China Beach Day Use Area) – contact Torrance Coste

Other actions are being held today at Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area, Sasquatch Provincial Park, Mount Seymour Provincial Park, Golden Ears Provincial Park, Ruckle Park, Drumbeg Provincial Park and Lakelse Lake Park.

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For more information, please contact:

Joe Foy | National Campaign Director, Wilderness Committee – (604) 880-2580 

Torrance Coste | Vancouver Island Campaigner, Wilderness Committee – (250) 516-9900

Top photo: The 167,000-signature petition opposing the Park Amendment Act is rolled out at the Vancouver Art Gallery on July 18, 2014.