Provincial Parks Expansion Act
Category: Environment — Environment
Summary
Create new protected areas and expand funding for park services and maintenance.
What this proposal changes
- Commits BC to protecting 30% of provincial land and ocean area by 2030 (30x30 target), adding approximately 3 million hectares of new protected areas.
- Doubles BC Parks operating budget from $75 million to $150 million annually to fund rangers, trail maintenance, and campground infrastructure.
- Creates a BC Nature Legacy Fund of $100 million to purchase privately held land with high conservation value.
- Establishes a First Nations Protected and Conserved Areas framework, recognising Indigenous Protected Areas as contributing to provincial 30x30 targets.
Arguments for
- Canada has committed to 30x30 at the international level; BC must expand protected areas to meet its share of this national commitment.
- BC Parks is systemically underfunded; the current budget does not cover basic trail maintenance, resulting in trail closures and visitor safety concerns.
- Indigenous Protected Areas achieve higher biodiversity outcomes than equivalent government-managed protected areas in documented cases globally.
Arguments against
- Adding 3 million hectares of protected area will intersect with forestry tenures, mining claims, and agricultural land, requiring compensation or legal challenge.
- Doubling the parks budget requires $75 million in new annual spending competing with health and social priorities.
- 30x30 targets have been criticised for counting area rather than quality; poorly located or managed protected areas may not deliver the intended biodiversity outcomes.
Cost & implementation
Parks operating budget increase: $75 million annually. Nature Legacy Fund: $100 million capital. Protected area land acquisition and compensation: $500 million–$1 billion over 10 years. Indigenous PA framework: $20–40 million.
Jurisdiction & legal authority
Park establishment and management are fully within provincial jurisdiction under the Park Act. Oceans and offshore protected areas involve federal DFO jurisdiction. Indigenous Protected Areas require nation-to-nation agreements.
How to vote
Visit cascadia.vote/questions/pnwc-A38 to cast your vote: Yes, No, or Maybe.
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