Eby’s golden issue: Recreation unites the province

Elkford Trails Alliance photo

ORCBC, Kootenay Outdoor Recreation Enterprise and Sea-to-Sky Outdoor Recreation Enterprise submitted this opinion editorial to the Vancouver Sun. You can see the published piece here.

There are many issues that divide the urban voters who elected David Eby as B.C.’s next premier and the rural ones who voted for his opponent. And one that unites them - outdoor recreation. 

Protecting land and water and investing in improving access to both is an easy and affordable way for Eby’s precarious majority government to “make life better” for all British Columbians and support an overlooked economic engine that will play an important part in the economic future of the province.

Right now, recreation needs government support. Investments in BC Parks and Recreation Sites and Trails BC is not keeping up with population growth or interest in the outdoors. Popular parks and trailheads are so busy, parking lots overflow (as do outhouses) and trails are falling apart. The volunteer groups who are the backbone of the recreation system – maintaining trails, advocating for access, promoting stewardship, and boosting local economies – can not keep up. 

British Columbians want Eby to do better. An Ipsos survey from May 2024 found that 89 percent of British Columbians support increased government expenditures on outdoor recreation amenities, and more than half said that access to recreation influences where they live. The survey was commissioned by the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC, which represents mountain bikers in Victoria and snowmobilers in the Peace River region, hunting clubs and bird-watching groups, as well as adaptive access groups, dirt bikers and more. The diverse membership may not agree on gun control or the carbon tax, but protecting biodiversity and improving access to recreation is common ground. 

Look at towns like Cumberland and it’s easy to see why. Twenty years ago, it was depressed. Today, 200 kilometres of volunteer-built, world-class mountain bike trails attract so many visitors and residents, it hums with festivals and events and is a hive of small restaurants, pubs, bike shops and retail stores. A mountain bike manufacturer and a high-end bike wheel maker moved to town because of the trails. 

There is no data to show how large the outdoor recreation economy is in B.C. In the U.S., the Bureau of Economic Analysis says the industry employed at least 5 million people in 2022 and had an output of $1.1-trillion, about 2.2 percent of GDP. With B.C.’s world-class trail network, ski industry, fishing and gear manufacturing, the outdoor economy likely plays an even larger role in the provincial economy, potentially outpacing sectors like mining (1.4%), forestry (1.1%), and oil and gas (1.5%).

Outdoor recreation can help Eby address other priorities, too. Investing in trails and parks will have significant benefits to mental and physical health, reducing the burden on the health care system. Recreation can be a great venue for reconciliation with First Nations. And figuring out how to include recreation in all land management decisions is a good pilot for rolling out necessary amendments to include all stakeholders. 

Improving access to nature is obviously not the solution to all of the province’s challenges. But there is no other universally supported issue that can provide so many wins so efficiently. 

Eby's government should kick off its new term with four strategic investments in outdoor recreation. First, increase support for volunteer groups who already build and maintain much of BC’s recreation infrastructure. Second, provide sustained, long-term funding for BC Parks and Recreation Sites and Trails to better plan, manage and expand recreational opportunities. Third, incorporate recreation into a new land-use planning framework, setting a precedent for including all sectors in sustainable development. Finally, direct BC Stats to measure the economic impact of the outdoor sector, helping B.C. unlock the full potential of one of its most sustainable industries.

After the election, Eby said: “British Columbians have asked us to work together and make life better for them.”

Making these investments is the best way for him to follow through on his promise. 

Louise Pedersen, Executive Director, Outdoor Recreation Council of BC
Matt Mosteller, Board Chair, Kootenay Outdoor Recreation Enterprise 
JoJo Das, Executive Director, Sea-to-Sky Outdoor Recreation Enterprise