VICTORIA - The B.C. government introduced legislation that will establish seven new "Class A" provincial parks and one new conservancy, as well as make land additions to 12 existing provincial parks, Environment Minister Barry Penner announced today.
Bill 15, the Protected Areas of British Columbia Amendment Act, 2010, continues this government's expansion of British Columbia's parks and protected areas system by adding 13,219 hectares.
The provisions in this bill include:
* Establishing six new "Class A" parks and making additions to two existing "Class A" parks in the Lillooet region as a result of the Lillooet Land and Resource Management Plan.
* Establishing a new "Class A" park in the Kamloops region as a result of the Kamloops Land and Resource Management Plan.
* Establishing a new conservancy in the Ure Creek area following an agreement with the Lil'wat First Nation.
If the legislature passes bill 15, since 2001 the B.C. government will have established 65 new parks, 144 conservancies, two ecological reserves and nine protected areas, and expanded more than 60 parks and six ecological reserves, protecting more than 1.9 million hectares of additional land.
This legislation also adds lands to improve park values in 10 "Class A"parks around the province, including:
* 7.9 hectares to Beaver Creek Park in the Kootenays as a result of a private land acquisition.
* 270 hectares to Brandywine Falls Park along the Sea to Sky Highway.
* 44.5 hectares of marine foreshore to Buccaneer Bay Park near the Sunshine Coast.
* 64.8 hectares to Eskers Park near Prince George as a result of a private land acquisition.
* 2.2 hectares to Francis Point Park on the Sunshine Coast as a result of a private land acquisition.
* 124 hectares to Gilpin Grasslands Park near Grand Forks as a result of a private land acquisition.
* 911 hectares to Mount Robson Park.
* 310 hectares to Skaha Bluffs Park near Penticton as a result of private land acquisitions.
* 5.6 hectares to Tyhee Park near Smithers as a result of a private land acquisition.
* 62.7 hectares of land as a result of a private land acquisition and18.3 hectares of foreshore to Valhalla Park in the Kootenays.
The bill also confirms the implementation of the 2004 decision for mining/tourism zones in the Lillooet plan area. Bill 15 will create a new South Chilcotin Mountains Park, a "Class A" park comprising 56,796 hectares from the area currently designated as Spruce Lake Protected Area. The remaining approximately 14,550 hectares are proposed for tourism and mining, but commercial logging will be prohibited.The plan protects 56,796 hectares of land as a new "Class A" park, while opening up new economic opportunities by creating certainty on the land base. This plan strikes a balance that will provide job opportunities for families that live and work in this region, while still protecting the natural environment.
In addition to South Chilcotin Mountains Park, five other new "Class A" parks and two park additions are being established in the Lillooet area. These five new areas and two additions total 21,801 hectares. There is also a name change for one existing "Class A" park in the Morice plan area as a result of discussions with the Wet'suwet'en First Nation. Amendments to the Protected Areas of British Columbia Act are regularly required to establish new parks and conservancies, to add land to existing parks, and to modify the boundaries of parks and conservancies.
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