British Columbians have made more than 6,000 camping reservations for the Victoria Day long weekend representing an approximate 13 per cent increase over the same period last year, Environment Minister Terry Lake said.

The B.C. government introduced legislation today that will add more than 550,000 hectares to the province's parks and protected areas system, Environment Minister Terry Lake announced today.

BC Parks is accepting applications for its innovative youth leadership program Get Outside BC. Piloted in 2011, Get Outside BC was the first of its kind in Canada. Forty youth aged 14-18 from across the province will be selected to participate in this year's summer program.

Environment Minister Terry Lake says Discover Camping saw a 41 per cent increase over 2011 when BC Parks opened for reservations on March 15. In the first hour, more than 2,100 reservations were made. This represents approximately 35 a minute.

The Natural Resource Compliance Act, introduced in fall 2011, is now in effect, making it easier for compliance and enforcement officers to hold offenders accountable for violating natural resource legislation.

As part of 'Canada Starts Here: The BC Jobs Plan', the BC Water and Waste Association (BCWWA) and its sector partners have been awarded $632,500 for the development and pilot delivery of an industry-standard Parks and Public Works Technician training program.

British Columbia's world-class parks system has been enhanced by more than $10.5 million in capital and community legacy investments and free parking for the approximately 20 million annual visitors to ensure our provincial parks are more welcoming for families and visitors to B.C.