Right now, the BC Government is consulting with people across the province on next year’s provincial budget. This is your chance to encourage the BC Government to invest in protecting nature. Protecting nature is key to thriving communities, healthy ecosystems, and a strong economy. Industries like tourism, recreation, and responsible resource management depend on healthy, intact lands and waters. As BC focuses on economic stability, we can’t afford to push nature and conservation aside. This is the moment to remind the government that protecting our natural spaces matters, both for the health of the people that live here and much-needed certainty for communities and local economies. The BC government is taking public input on next year’s budget right now. CPAWS-BC is weighting in on three things that matter for nature across the province. You can echo our calls by submitting your own recommendations. We are calling on the BC government to:
- Support BC Parks. The places we love need real investment to stay beautiful, healthy, and accessible, for people and wildlife alike. As visitation increases, it’s time for BC to increase the funding available for BC Parks.
- Integrate conservation areas into BC’s economic strategy. We know protected areas support the economy in so many ways, from tourism to climate resilience. Let’s ensure the BC government recognizes the importance of nature protection in their economic strategy.
- Fund the implementation of BC’s Coastal Marine Strategy. With a strategy already in place to support critical ocean stewardship and restoration projects, we’re urging the BC government to invest in implementation that supports people, nature, and the economy.
Submissions close June 19 at 2:00 pm PST.
Submit your Budget Recommendations
Use our handy Step by Step Guide to quickly and easily submit your budget recommendations now, before the opportunity closes! Estimated time: 10 minutes
Step 1: Visit the Consultation Portal for BC Budget 2027: https://consultation-portal.leg.bc.ca/consultations/195
Step 2: Create an account (or log in if you have one already) *Note: if creating a new account, it may take a few moments for the confirmation email to come through. Make tea or grab a quick snack while you wait!
Step 3: Make a Submission. Below we have drafted some language you can use in your submission. We highly recommend personalizing it for a greater impact! Submissions are due by Friday, June 19th at 2:00 pm (PST)
Step 4 (optional): Please let us know if you submitted a comment by replying to this email! We want to see how big of an impact our supporters’ voices can make.
Recommendation 1: Increase operational funding for BC Parks I would like to see an increase in operational funding for BC Parks to meet growing visitation and stewardship demands. BC Parks currently protects more than 14 million hectares and receives over 28 million visits annually. Outdoor recreation contributes an estimated $17 billion annually to BC’s economy. British Columbians highly value our provincial parks for families, recreation and tourism, and visitation is expected to continue rising. BC Parks needs the resources to meet growing demand while protecting the ecological integrity that makes these places valuable. However, funding for park operations, staffing, infrastructure, and ecological monitoring has not kept pace with demand. Many parks continue to face maintenance backlogs, aging facilities and accessibility challenges. Recovery following wildfires and floods requires additional investment above and beyond general use. I urge the province to increase operational funding for BC Parks to address deferred maintenance, restore and improve park infrastructure, strengthen staffing and ecological monitoring, and support the volunteers and community organizations that help steward BC’s parks. Investing in park operations today will help ensure protected areas remain healthy, accessible, and resilient for future generations.
Recommendation 2: Integrate BC’s conservation areas into economic strategies I recommend that the province integrate BC’s protected and conserved areas into its economic development strategies. Investments in conservation not only protect nature and strengthen climate resilience but also generate significant and long-term economic returns for communities and governments. For British Columbia, integrating conservation into economic planning can support more diversified and resilient local economies through domestic and international tourism, outdoor recreation, and stewardship-related employment. As the province expands its network of protected areas, there is an opportunity to maximize both conservation and economic outcomes. Beyond tourism and employment benefits, protected areas also provide substantial economic value through ecosystem services. Healthy land, freshwater, and marine ecosystems help reduce the costs of climate-related disasters, support food security, improve public health outcomes, and sustain the natural systems that underpin resource-based industries. Across Canada, ecosystem services provided by protected areas on land and water are estimated to be worth up to $500 billion annually. I urge the province to recognize protected and conserved areas as long-term economic assets, integrate conservation outcomes into economic strategies, and invest in the capacity needed to realize these benefits. Doing so will help ensure that conservation and economic prosperity reinforce rather than compete with one another, delivering lasting value for BC communities and future generations.
Recommendation 3: Fund the implementation of BC’s Coastal Marine Strategy I recommend funding the implementation of British Columbia’s Coastal Marine Strategy through critical investments in coastal stewardship and restoration. A healthy ocean is essential to our way of life in BC. Across the province, ocean-based activities contribute $21 billion annually and directly employ 131,000 people full-time. It also protects us by reducing flooding and erosion, storing carbon, and helping buffer the impacts of climate change. At a time when British Columbians are facing high costs of living and uncertainty, I support the Coastal Marine Strategy because it strengthens a more resilient coastal economy and a healthier coastline, protecting jobs today while creating new opportunities for communities across BC. To deliver on the Coastal Marine Strategy, I call for immediate action: reinstate $15 million in funding for the Clean Coast, Clean Waters initiative, which helps keep shorelines clean and supports coastal restoration and local jobs; and fund a staffing increase within the Crown Lands Authorizations Branch to restore an expedited permitting process for nature-based shoreline restoration projects, so communities and Indigenous Nations can more easily restore and protect coastal habitats. Together, these actions would turn the Coastal Marine Strategy into real progress on the ground and help ensure a healthier coast for everyone. When the ocean thrives, so do we.
For additional information about the 2027 Budget, view the Budget 2027 consultation paper – outlining the province’s fiscal forecast, key budget issues, and how British Columbians can share their views.
Submit your feedback now!
Thank you so much for taking the time to speak up for nature! Every voice makes a difference.