VICTORIA - Summer is here, school is out and the Canada Day long weekend is back again. It's a great time to get outdoors and visit a BC Park - and whether you stay close to home on a day-trip or explore around the province - there are more than 600 parks across British Columbia to choose from.

As summer officially begins today, backcountry enthusiasts can head into the wilderness faster with a new online system that lets them prepay for their backcountry permit in 26 provincial parks.

They're cute and defenceless - and they may look lonely - but baby deer and other wild animals should not be touched or moved.

British Columbians have an opportunity to make their mark on one of the stunning vistas in BC Parks through a new program celebrating 100 years of provincial parks.

The BlueSky Western Canada Forecasting System has been expanded this year to include smoke forecasts from all the Western Provinces, as well as areas of the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Ontario and the U.S. border states, Environment Minister Terry Lake said in recognition of Clean Air Day.

The City of Abbotsford has received an environmental assessment certificate for the proposed Bevan Avenue Wells Groundwater Supply Development Project.