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CBC
10 hours ago
- Politics
- CBC
First Nations frustrated with duration of Joffre Lakes Park closure
Social Sharing Two First Nations are concerned with a newly announced month-long closure of one of B.C.'s most popular provincial parks, as they say it is only a fraction of the dates they had asked for. The provincial government announced Tuesday that Pipi7iyekw/Joffre Lakes Provincial Park will be closed to recreational visitors between Sept. 2 and Oct. 3. But that's not as long as the Lil'wat Nation and N'Quatqua First Nation, on whose unceded territories the park lies, had requested. Dean Nelson, political chief of Lil'wat Nation, said it's "disappointing and disheartening" that the province did not honour the nations' request. "This is not reconciliation," he said. "This is a continuation of colonial decision-making, you know, disregarding our needs and values on the land." WATCH | Popular B.C. park to close temporarily: Joffre Lakes Park closing for much of September 9 hours ago Joffre Lakes Park will be closed to visitors between Sept. 2 and Oct. 3 this year. The province says the closure will allow the park, in B.C.'s Sea-to-Sky region, to recover from a busy summer. The closure is intended to provide time and space for local First Nations to reconnect with the land, carry out cultural and spiritual practices, and recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Last year, Joffre Lakes Park was closed for 60 days, according to the province, and in 2025, B.C. Parks has agreed to close the park for a total of 68 days. "The [nations] requested 103 days of closures, beyond what we felt able to accommodate while supporting continued public use," the Environment Ministry said in an emailed statement. The Lil'wat Nation and N'Quatqua had asked for a closure between Aug. 22 to Oct. 23 to reconnect with the land, conduct ceremonies, gather food and medicines and allow the park to rest, according to a joint statement from both nations. The ministry says, however, that the posted closure schedule "balances cultural practices, conservation goals and public access to the park." B.C. Parks began requiring free day-use passes to access Joffre Lakes during peak times in 2021, and in 2024, it cut the number of day passes issued from 1,000 to 500 to address overuse. In 2021, before day-use passes were required, Joffre Lakes saw an average of 180,000 annual visitors. Nelson said the crowd management has gotten better but added that doesn't mean traditional values are being upheld. "It is still management of, you know, [an] amusement park kind of thing," he said. "It is other people's values that they have to come and, you know, be seen and take their selfies there. So, again, the values are not being honoured on an equal level."
CTV News
2 days ago
- CTV News
Joffre Lakes Park to close for month of September
The popular Joffre Lakes Provincial Park near Pemberton, B.C., will be closed to visitors for one month, a much shorter period than two local First Nations initially planned to use it for, the province announced Tuesday. The Instagram-famous park also known as Pipi7íyekw will close from Sept. 3 to Oct. 3. 'The closure allows the park to recover from a busy summer and provide time and space for members of the Lil'wat Nation and N'Quatqua to reconnect with the land, carry out cultural and spiritual practices, and recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation,' a statement from the Environment Ministry reads. The Lil'wat Nation previously said the park would close for cultural use for two months, from Aug. 22 to Oct. 23. At the time, the province said those dates had not been confirmed. 'The nations had requested additional closure dates, beyond what we were prepared to agree to,' the ministry wrote in a statement to CTV News. 'After careful consideration, B.C. has confirmed a schedule that balances cultural practices, conservation goals and public access to the park.' The province said the number of closure dates is now consistent with last year and the revised schedule means the public can visit Joffre Lakes over the Labour Day long weekend. The park also closed to visitors from April 25 to May 16 and from June 13 to 27. 'Pipi7íyekw/Joffre Lakes Park has become one of the busiest parks in the province. As more people go to the park, there is a need for enhanced visitor-use management, ensuring the park is not degraded by heavy use,' the statement from the province reads. 'We have a responsibility to support public access to parks, as we also support First Nations cultural practices and conservation goals.' CTV News has reached out to The Lil'wat and N'Quatqua nations for comment and will update this story if a response is received.
CBC
2 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
B.C.'s Joffre Lakes Park closing for a month for recovery and First Nations' practices
The B.C. government says Joffre Lakes Park will shut for a month in about two weeks' time, to allow it to "recover from a busy summer" and for First Nations to carry out cultural practices. It says the closure from Sept. 2 to Oct. 3 is also in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and will be the last of three closures this year. The park's operation has been contested by the Lil'wat and N'Quatqua First Nations, which temporarily shut access to the park in 2023 to assert title and rights to the territory. A statement from the Ministry of Environment and Parks says the closure at the popular park in B.C.'s Sea-to-Sky region next month will "provide time and space for members of the Lil'wat Nation and N'Quatqua to reconnect with the land." The province says the nations requested additional closures, but the current schedule best balances cultural, conservation and public access needs, and ensures the park remains open during the Labour Day weekend. The park was also closed on April 25 for three weeks, and for two weeks in June.
CTV News
26-05-2025
- CTV News
Joffre Lakes Park facing temporary closures over the summer
B.C.'s Joffre Lakes Park is facing another two rounds of closures in June and August to allow for local First Nations to reconnect to their land and culture in private, according to the Lil'wat Nation. The park, also known as Pipi7íyekw, will be closed between June 13 and 27 and between August 22 and Oct. 23 to allow for spiritual and cultural activities such as hunting, fishing, harvesting medicines, a statement from the nation said. It comes after an initial closure that spanned the first three weeks of May. During which, Environment Minister Tamara Davidson was invited to the park to witness firsthand the benefits the break of visitors had on both the community and the land. According to the nation, Davidson and her team met with Lil'wat and N'Quatqua leadership at the park on May 16, where they hiked to the first lake and 'engaged in meaningful discussions about the future stewardship of the area.' 'Since 2023 Lil'wat and N'Quatqua Nations have established reconnection periods for Pipi7iyekw, during which the park is not open to the public, to allow time for their community members to practice Nt̓ákmen (meaning 'our way'),' the statement said. 'This means providing dedicated periods of time for their community members to reconnect to their land and culture, while also providing time for the land to rest from human impacts.' The nation said community members are getting to utilize areas where they were previously removed or denied access, and the reconnection is integral to the well-being of the two Nations' community members as they look for traditional methods to help cope with grief, addictions, suicide and mental health. A spokesperson from B.C.'s Ministry of Environment and Parks said no firm dates for future temporary closures of the park have yet been agreed upon. The spokesperson said, however, that 'all agree it is important for people to have continued, predictable access' to the park and it is also important 'to give time and space for the land to rest, while ensuring the nations can use this space as they always have.' 'Maintaining a healthy park and supporting First Nations cultural practices are two sides of the same coin,' the spokesperson said. 'We have built a strong relationship with the Lil'wat and N'Quatqua to make sure the natural and cultural values of the park are protected. We continue to work with the Nations to ensure opportunities exist for people to access the park in a responsible and sustainable way.' The ministry said it will notify the public once an agreed schedule is confirmed.
National Post
22-05-2025
- Politics
- National Post
FIRST READING: Non-Indigenous visitors being turned away from B.C. public parks
Article content First Reading is a Canadian politics newsletter curated by the National Post's own Tristin Hopper. To get an early version sent directly to your inbox, sign up here. Article content Article content TOP STORY Article content In what critics say is a template of things to come, B.C. has begun closing public parks to non-Indigenous residents citing 'cultural concerns.' Article content This week, the B.C. government announced that Botanical Beach — a popular spot along the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail — would be closed for 24 hours over the May 24 weekend 'to provide time, space and privacy for members of the Pacheedaht First Nation to harvest marine resources and reconnect with an important part of their territory.' Article content Article content This follows on a series of similar closure of Joffre Lakes Provincial Park, one of the busiest recreational spots in the province. Article content Article content From April 25 until May 16, non-Indigenous usage of the park is banned, and 'more temporary closures are anticipated' reads an April 25 bulletin by B.C.'s Ministry of the Environment and Parks. Article content The closures are to 'provide time and space for members of the Líl̓wat Nation and N͛Quatqua to reconnect with the land and carry out cultural and spiritual practices,' it reads. Article content The first, in 2023, occurred when the nearby Líl̓wat and N'Quatqua First Nations unilaterally barred public access to the park for more than five weeks. Article content 'In this time of reconciliation, Lil'wat Nation and N'Quatqua First Nation are asserting our Title and Rights to our shared unceded territory to take this time to harvest and gather our resources within our territories,' read a statement telling the B.C. public they would be barred access to the park from Aug. 23 'until National Truth and Reconciliation Day' (Sept. 30). Article content Article content When the Joffre Lakes closure was given official government sanction in 2024, B.C. Environment Minister George Heyman notably stressed that the action would not be a template for future closures of parks to non-Indigenous users. Article content Article content 'There is no universal policy,' Heyman said at the time, adding that Joffre Lakes was only being closed because of a 'distinction-based approach.' Article content In a statement to National Post, the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Parks said 'these temporary closures represent a critical step forward on the path of reconciliation and an important building block for future conversations on shared stewardship, park management and access.' Article content In addition to the Botanical Beach and Joffre Lakes shutdowns, B.C. has also seen a series of federally run recreation areas closed to public usage, with authorities also citing cultural concerns.
