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.

Bill 49, the Protected Areas of British Columbia Amendment Act, 2012, will begin the implementation of the Atlin Taku River Land Use Plan by establishing 10 new conservancies and adding land to the existing Atlin Provincial Park. The new conservancies and additions to Atlin Provincial Park will add more than 413,000 hectares to the province's protected areas system.

The legislation will add more than 166,000 hectares of marine foreshore area to nine existing conservancies and 611 hectares of land to five existing conservancies on Haida Gwaii.

Bill 49 also upgrades two recreation areas (Cascade and Porteau Cove) and a portion of the Atlin Recreation Area to Class A park status. It adds a total of approximately 233 hectares to five other Class A provincial parks including Cultus Lake, Gowlland Tod, Main Lake, Skagit Valley and Stawamus Chief.

Further, the boundaries of two Class A parks and two conservancies will be modified to remove lands:

• Cultus Lake Provincial Park: 11 hectares are being removed from the park to exclude three public roads.

• Stawamus Chief Provincial Park: 2.36 hectares are being removed from the park. Dzawadi/Upper Klinaklini River Conservancy: As a result of a consultation process ordered by the Supreme Court of British Columbia, approximately 62 hectares are being removed from the conservancy.

• Kamdis Conservancy: 0.236 hectares are being removed to exclude an existing road.

A backgrounder follows.

Contact:

Suntanu Dalal
Communications
Ministry of Environment
250 387-9745

BACKGROUNDER

Amendments to conservancies and parks

Atlin Taku Land Use Plan - Bill 49 will begin the implementation of the Wóoshtin wudida Atlin Taku Land Use Plan and Taku River Tlingit First Nation Strategic Engagement Agreement with more than 413,000 hectares added to the provincial protected areas system as a result. The amendments will establish 10 new conservancies in the Atlin area: Golden Gate/Xáat Yádi Aani; Indian Lake - Hitchcock Creek/Át Ch'îni Shà; Monarch Mountain/A Xéegi Deiyi; Mount Minto/K'iyán; Nakina - Inklin Rivers/Yáwu Yaa; Nakina - Inklin Rivers (Kuthai Area)/Yáwu Yaa; Taku River/T'akú Téix'; Tutshi Lake/T'ooch' Áayi; Upper Gladys River/Watsíx Deiyi; Willison Creek - Nelson Lake/Sít' Héeni) and make additions to the existing Atlin Park, which is also being renamed (Atlin/Téix'gi Aan Tlein Park).

Haida Gwaii - The amendments will add marine foreshore areas totalling more than 166,000 hectares to nine existing Haida Gwaii conservancies and add 611 hectares to five conservancies consistent with the Haida Gwaii Strategic Land Use Agreement and subsequent marine planning process.

Private land acquisitions - Amendments will add lands resulting from private land acquisitions and donations to three existing Class A provincial parks: Gowlland Tod, Main Lake and Skagit Valley.

Recreation Areas - The amendments cancel three existing recreation areas under the Park Act. Cascade Recreation Area 12, 826 hectares, southeast of Hope, is being upgraded to Class A park status and the lands added to E. C. Manning Provincial Park. Porteau Cove Recreation Area (one hectare), along the Sea to Sky Highway, is being upgraded to Class A park status and the lands added to Porteau Cove Provincial Park. A portion (9,210 hectares) of the Atlin Recreation Area is being upgraded to a Class A park as a result of the Atlin Taku Land Use Plan and added to Atlin/Téix'gi Aan Tlein Provincial Park.

Boundary Amendments: The amendments modify the boundaries of two Class A parks and two conservancies to remove lands.

Stawamus Chief Provincial Park - 2.36 hectares are being removed from the park. The area being removed will subsequently be established as Stawamus Chief Protected Area under the Environment and Land Use Act. This allows for the application of a Park Use Permit for a right-of-way through the park. BC Parks staff will review the application to assess environmental impacts.

Approximately 1.93 hectares are being added to the park as a result of Crown lands transferred to the ministry in 2008 from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure for a closed road that was no longer needed as part of the Sea to Sky Highway Improvement Project.

Dzawadi/Upper Klinaklini River Conservancy - As a result of a consultation process ordered by the Supreme Court of British Columbia, approximately 62 hectares are being removed from the conservancy. The area being removed will subsequently be established as Upper Klinaklini Protected Area under the Environment and Land Use Act. This will enable a full environmental assessment process to proceed (including broad public consultation) for a proposed hydroelectric project.

Cultus Lake Provincial Park - Approximately 11 hectares are being removed from Cultus Lake Park to exclude three existing public roads.

A 202-hectare foreshore area will be added to Cultus Lake Park to increase management effectiveness of recreational use along the lake fronting the park.

Kamdis Conservancy - Approximately 0.236 hectares are being removed from Kamdis Conservancy to exclude an existing access road to an industrial lease.

Park Cancellations: The amendments repeal the descriptions of two existing Class A parks.

Christie Memorial Provincial Park and Emory Creek Provincial Park - Christie Memorial Park (three hectares), adjacent to the community of Okanagan Falls, will be cancelled and the lands transferred to the Regional District of the Okanagan Similkameen for local park purposes. Emory Creek Park (29 hectares), south of Yale, will be cancelled and transferred to the Yale First Nation to meet obligations as part of the negotiations leading to the Yale First Nation Final Agreement.

Changing Park Names:

Atlin Provincial Park - Amendments rename this park to Atlin/Téix'gi Aan Tlein Park following recommendations of the Atlin Taku Land Use Plan and discussions with the Taku River Tlingit First Nation.

Sandy Island Marine Park - Amendments rename this park to Jáji7em and Kw'ulh Marine Park at the request of the Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation following negotiations with the K'ómoks First Nation.

Contact:

Suntanu Dalal
Communications
Ministry of Environment
250 387-9745