Park Operations and Policies
Park Operations
The operation of facilities and services in road accessible provincial parks is contracted to park facility operators. Their responsibilities include park security, ensuring that park rules are obeyed and collecting camping fees. The park facility operator’s name and address is posted on the information shelter in each provincial park.
Employees of park facility operators wear navy-blue trousers and grey shirts.
Park Rangers/District Offices
Park rangers are BC Parks employees. The ranger uniform is olive-green trousers, a tan shirt and a Stetson. Questions about park policy should be directed to a park ranger at the district office. Telephone numbers and addresses of district offices are posted on park information shelters.
Park Hosts:
Volunteer park hosts can advise and help you to get the most from your visit to a park, but they are not involved in the operation of the facilities or services. Campground hosts occupy clearly identified campsites. Marine park hosts display a host banner on their vessel. Park hosts are normally on duty for four hours each day. Not all parks have volunteer hosts.
Comment Cards:
If you wish to comment on the quality of any park facility or service, please fill out a comment card and deposit it in the drop box provided. Comment cards and drop boxes are located near the information shelter in all parks.
Surveys:
Surveys are conducted in about one third of park campgrounds and beach-picnic areas each year, to find out how satisfied all park users are with the management standards. If you are given a questionnaire please complete it and drop it in the comment card box. Results are published annually.
Camping Party Definition:
Due to wear and tear, maintenance and conservation factors within our parks, limits must be placed on the party size i.e. the number of people and vehicles each campsite can accommodate. Camping fees are levied on a per party, per vehicle, basis. A camping party is a family (parents and children) from the same residence; or if not a family, a maximum of four people 13 years of age or older, one of whom must be 16 years of age or older.
One Camping Party Per Site Policy:
If you are two parties please use a double site, if available, or separate campsites. For special reasons, a park facility operator may allow two parties to camp in one campsite. It is, however, BC Parks’ policy to require the payment of two fees when two parties occupy a single campsite.
One Vehicle Policy:
You may keep one motor vehicle in your campsite. The only exceptions to this policy are:
- A vehicle that is towed into the campground behind a camping unit
- A vehicle in which a camping party member commutes separately from the rest of the party. The commuter vehicle must be registered to the same address as the registered party.
- Cyclists, who may keep one bicycle or motorcycle per party member in their campsite.
Senior Citizen Discount Policy:
If you reside in British Columbia and are 65 years or older you may camp for half the full fee from Labour Day up to and including June 14th. The full rate applies from June 15th to Labour Day. No member of your party, other than your spouse, may be an adult (18 to 64 years old). Fee collectors may ask to see your Pharmacare Card and a second piece of identification. This discount does not apply to reservation service fees, group camping and picnicking fees (where a fixed group fee applies), or the back country and marine park fees.
Disabled Access Passes:
If you reside in British Columbia and have been issued a BC Parks Disabled Access Pass, you and your party, may camp for free. (Reservation service fees do apply to persons issued with a BC Parks Disabled Access Pass.)
Campsite Reservations:
Call the Discover Camping campground reservation service toll-free at 1-800-689-9025 (689-9025 in Greater Vancouver). Agents are available to take your reservation from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm Monday to Friday and 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday and Sunday (Pacific Time), March 1 to September 15.
Reservations can be made up to three months in advance and two days prior to your arrival date.
Campsite Reservation Service Fees:
If you make a reservation, the reservation service and campsite fees must be paid in full, by VISA or MasterCard, at the time of booking. There is a non-refundable reservation service fee of $6.42 per night, to a maximum of $19.26 for three or more nights (includes 7% GST), per campsite. This fee covers the operational costs and ensures the reservation service pays for itself and is not subsidized by the taxpayers.
If you change or cancel your reservation, there is an additional fee of $6.42 (includes 7% GST).
Group Picnicking & Group Camping Reservations:
Groups of 15 people or more may reserve the use of group picnicking or group camping facilities. (Consult the nearest district office.)
