A landmark 10,000 BC Parks licence plates have been sold – a milestone reached less than eight weeks after the specialty plates were unveiled earlier this year.

The three licence plate designs – a Kermode bear found only in British Columbia, the snow-capped Purcell Mountains, and a stunning view from Porteau Cove overlooking Howe Sound –  were unveiled by Environment Minister Mary Polak and Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Todd Stone on Jan. 18, 2017, in Vancouver.

The Province introduced this series of specialty licence plates, all depicting scenes from B.C.’s parks and protected areas, in partnership with the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC). The public can show their passion and pride for British Columbia by sharing the natural beauty of BC Parks on their licence plates, which became available for purchase at Autoplan broker offices on Jan. 29, 2017.

The Kermode bear is a rare subspecies of black bear, found only in British Columbia and can be found between the Burke Channel in the south and roughly up to the Nass River in the North. The Purcell Mountains make up the natural backdrop of the Purcell Wilderness Conservancy Provincial Park and Protected Area, spanning north to Bugaboo Provincial Park in southeastern British Columbia. Porteau Cove Provincial Park is a park open year-round and features waterfront campsites overlooking Howe Sound to the mountains beyond.

To view the three licence plate designs, please visit:
http://www.icbc.com/vehicle-registration/licence-plates/Pages/bc-parks-plates.aspx

The new speciality plates are part of the BC Parks Future Strategy, announced by Premier Christy Clark on Nov. 28, 2016. Within the strategy the Province is investing $22.9 million to build 1,900 new campsites, is seeding a new BC Parks Foundation with a $10-million endowment, and will be allocating funding in 2017 for other recreation and conservation initiatives, including hiring more park rangers.

The licence plates allow motorists to show their support, while ensuring BC Parks has additional funds to invest in new programs and improvements. The BC Parks specialty plates cost $50 for the initial purchase, and $40 for each annual renewal. All net proceeds from the sale and ongoing renewals of BC Parks licence plates are re-invested back into provincial parks through the Park Enhancement Fund, a transparent account where revenues enhance programs or services in provincial parks beyond the core services provided by government.

To date, approximately $150,000 will go toward the Park Enhancement Fund as result of the plate sales.

Other programs are also being established within the strategy to give individuals the opportunity to preserve and protect British Columbia’s world-renowned provincial parks system. For example, a new online donation portal allows individuals or businesses to donate to their favourite park, enhancement project or BC Parks’ partner via credit card, and immediately receive an official tax receipt for contributions of $25 or more.

To make a donation, please visit: www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/donate/

Quotes:

Mary Polak, Minister of Environment –

“It’s great to reach 10,000 plates so soon! I’m thrilled to see so many British Columbians expressing their pride and support for BC Parks through the purchase of their very own BC Parks licence plates. It’s such a milestone to reach 10,000 plates, which only shows how passionate people are about our parks. All of the net proceeds from the licence plate sales will be re-invested right back into our world-renowned provincial parks, to help preserve and protect these magnificent natural spaces for future generations to enjoy.”

Todd Stone, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure –

“I am one of the 10,000 British Columbians who have purchased one of these attractive, new BC Parks licence plates, and I believe that the success of this program shows a real desire among British Columbians to reflect the pride in our BC Parks on their vehicle. You can be the first in your family or in your group of friends to purchase one – and encourage others to do the same. The revenue generated will be used to invest in improvements and parks programs, to ensure the legacy of BC Parks for future generations.”

Mark Blucher, president and CEO, Insurance Corporation of BC –

"We're pleased so many of our customers are interested in specialty licence plates, and it's great to see this kind of support for BC Parks. Many thanks to our broker partners for promoting these beautiful BC Parks plates in communities throughout B.C."

Quick Facts:

• B.C.’s provincial parks receive more than 23 million visits each year.
• Parking is free in all provincial parks, making them more accessible to families.
• BC Parks manages the third-largest parks system in North America behind the United States’ National Park Service and Parks Canada.
• British Columbia has the highest percentage of its land base dedicated to protected areas of all provincial Canadian jurisdictions.
• B.C. offers a range of camping experiences in provincial parks as well as recreation sites.
• Over the past five years, the Province has invested approximately $60 million in park facilities, delivering projects directed at attracting.

Learn More:

To learn more about BC Parks, and to view the BC Parks Future Strategy, please visit: www.bcparks.ca

To learn more about ICBC and where to purchase your own BC Parks licence plate, please visit: www.icbc.com

Connect with the Province of B.C. at: www.gov.bc.ca/connect