NDP Premier John Horgan appeared eager that plans move forward on the proposed national park reserve in the South Okanagan, after being asked whether he supported the initiative.

“We’ve been aware of this for some time, I know I support the community’s drive to have a national park,” Horgan said, saying his belief is that much of the community wants the park to happen.

But an increasingly vocal contingency in the South Okanagan has been calling for an official referendum on the issue. Parks Canada officially extended its online survey consultation period by two weeks last month, but that period ends Friday, and local groups are still looking for public meetings and a vote.

Horgan implied his provincial government would stand behind the findings of the consultation period.

The premier then gestured to South Okanagan-West Kootenay NDP MP Richard Cannings, who was standing near him at a public gathering, saying Cannings is a well-informed pro-park voice both as a naturalist and as an elected representative.

The creation of a South Okanagan National Park was a part of the BC NDP’s 2017 election platform.

With files from Castanet