“Protecting our natural spaces is a priority,”  Environment Minister Mary Polak

VICTORIA – British Columbia’s Environment Ministry is poised to introduce a new policy it says will ensure the province’s parks are off limits to industrial activities, but an environmental group fears the plan will open the gates to pipelines and other development projects.

The Ministry of Environment is expected to release its policy on issuing permits for research and information gathering within provincial parks on Friday.

Last year’s Park Amendment Act touched off a massive petition campaign from B.C. environmental groups that said the Liberal government was enacting legislation that opened the door to industrial development, including oil and gas pipelines, within parks and protected areas.

More than 167,000 people signed a petition calling on the government to repeal the Park Amendment Act, which became law in March 2014.

“This policy provides more clarity around how research and information-gathering activities will be undertaken in B.C.’s parks and protected areas, which allows us to make informed decisions.”

Source: Vancouver Sun