Monday, Feb. 11, British Columbians will celebrate the inaugural B.C. Family Day.

A new agreement with First Nations in the north that provides certainty around resource development along with a reduced backlog of mining permits will help create jobs in the mining sector, Premier Christy Clark announced today in her speech to Round Up 2012.

The Province will provide $30 million in funding to communities to give B.C. families greater access to recreation facilities so they can enjoy the benefits of increased physical activity and community involvement, announced Premier Christy Clark at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention.

Premier Christy Clark and Taku River Tlingit First Nation spokesperson John Ward signed an agreement that creates 13 new protected areas and provides resource development opportunities and investment certainty in more than three million hectares (approximately 11,500 square miles) in the Atlin Taku region of northwestern B.C.

Premier Christy Clark presented the Premier's Innovation and Excellence Awards, recognizing the exceptional work of B.C.'s public service employees and teams whose contributions have made a positive difference in the province.

The exceptional accomplishments of Vancouver Island's public service employees were recognized with the Premier's Innovation and Excellence Awards.

Parking will now be free in all provincial parks to encourage families to take advantage of our world-class parks system.

To celebrate Earth Day and build on B.C.'s leadership on green energy and green jobs, Premier Christy Clark announced provincial funding for a new biomass energy project at Simon Fraser University that will eliminate 11,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases every year.