A record number of people made reservations for campsites, day-use passes, backcountry permits, cabins and picnic shelters in provincial parks this season, according to data released from the B.C. government.
“It has been another exceptionally busy season for BC Parks as more people discover and enjoy the health benefits of being in nature,” stated Kelly Greene, Parliamentary Secretary for Environment.
Over 317,000 reservations were made on the new BC Parks reservation service for the 2022 season. This marks an increase of more than 26% compared to 2019, the year which camping was last open all season.
“The new and improved reservation service is more reliable and easy-to-use, which is reflected in the record number of reservations,” believes George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.
Heyman says his team “listened to people’s suggestions and frustrations and worked hard to address these with our new system.”
The new reservation service launched in March. It is part of a broader, ongoing redesign of BC Parks’ digital services to improve visitors’ experiences from computer to campground.
The new reservation service includes more flexible search options, such as a map to find campgrounds by region, an interactive calendar that shows when booked sites will become available, saved booking preferences within customer accounts, information on nearby facilities, and large photos of campsites.
“We are working hard to create more camping opportunities in B.C. and improve accessibility so more people can experience the joy of exploring B.C.’s parks,” said Greene.
Since 2017, more than 1,700 campsites have been added to provincial parks and recreation sites in high-demand areas. Of those sites, 500 are in the Lower Mainland parks, including Cultus Lake, Golden Ears, Chilliwack Lake, Stawamus Chief, and Garibaldi.
In total, there are now more than 10,000 reservable day-use and overnight accommodations available across British Columbia, with demand up 200% in the past decade.
Provincial Parks with camping in Boundary Country include Conkle Lake, Boundary Creek, Jewel Lake, Granby.
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