Wildsight executive director John Bergenske. Pioneer file photo

Wildsight executive director John Bergenske. Pioneer file photo

By Steve Hubrecht

Pioneer Staff

Local East Kootenay environmental group Wildsight is expressing strong misgivings about provincial Bill 4, which proposed changes to the Park Act and was set to get second reading in the B.C. legislature as The Pioneer went to press.

We are really concerned that it appears to open (provincial parks) to development under the guise of research, said Wildsight executive director John Bergenske, adding the types of development could include highways, pipelines, transmission lines and communication towers.

And theres the open door aspect that would allow other types of research that weve been led to believe could include mining and drilling if so approved by the (environment) minster of the day, said Mr. Bergenske.

Bill 4 was introduced in the provincial legislature on Thursday, February 13th and was slated for second reading late this week (after The Pioneers press deadline).

Its clearly understood that the provinces parks are for the people of B.C.s enjoyment and recreation, not for industrial development, said Mr. Bergenske, adding hes also concerned about what he said was a lack of public consultation or even public awareness on the issue.

We feel this is an unfortunate way to go about any changes, he said, adding Wildsight has sent a letter to Environment Minister Mary Polak.

Our request (to her) is just to slow down and lets have a discussion before any amendments to the Park Act move forward, said Mr. Bergenske.

Wildsights concern, and similar concern from other environmental groups, is misplaced, Ms. Polak told The Pioneer.

There is no allowance for industrial activities in parks, with exception of activities that pre-existed the creation of the park, and thats not going to change, Ms. Polak told the Pioneer. They (Wildsight and other concerned groups) are drawing the conclusion that if people want to do research for the purpose of looking at the impacts of a proposed commercial development, then that development will be allowed and thats just not the case.

The proposed amendment will allow the Minister of Environment or the deputy minister of environment to grant permits for commercial filming, certain types of recreation and some types or research, but those permits will still need to pass a rigorous evaluation process, said Ms. Polak.

The types of research allowed will likely include putting in stream gages, vegetation sampling and low-impact geo-technical studies, she said, adding that a specific list of types of research allowed has not be included in the draft copy of the proposed amendment (something environmental groups have been critical about) because the process of deciding whether or not to approve any given research permit will need to take into account not just the type of research but the process involved in conducting it.

The research could be of various natures academic; scientific; impact assessment work by proponents of a project adjacent to a park; or impact assessment work by proponents who want to make an application to change a park boundary, said Ms. Polak.

The Park Act (which is 50 years old) didnt contemplate the world we live in today, she said, adding under the current act any approved activity must not only be unharmful to the park, it must actually be beneficial.

Thats a nearly impossible test, said Ms. Polak.

In terms of consultation the ministry has in fact been meeting with some organizations and will, now that the bill has been introduced in the legislature, being sending drafts of it to different relevant groups, she said.

In addition each park management plan (against which each application for permit will be evaluated) has been developed through extensive consultation with nearby local communities, said Ms. Polak.