B.C. adds 1,900 campsites, more rangers

VICTORIA – Premier Christy Clark says British Columbians are getting more opportunities to experience the great outdoors.

Clark says the province is adding 1,900 new campsites at provincial parks and recreational sites as part of a five-year, $22.9 million strategy.

She says the funding will also help hire more park rangers, create a foundation that manages private donations to parks, and provide motorists the option to purchase dedicated B.C. Parks vehicle licence plates with proceeds going to the parks system.

READ MORE: Concerns grow that B.C. campsite spots are being scalped in bulk

The government recently revamped its campsite reservation system after widespread concerns last summer about reports of spots being overbooked and resold.

George Heyman, environment critic for the Opposition New Democrats, says the Liberals have cut 3,000 campsites since they were first elected 15 years ago, and now with an election months away they are pledging to return about two-thirds of the sites they slashed.

The province says B.C.’s parks system is the third largest in North America with about 10,700 vehicle-accessible sites for campers and 21 million visits annually.