Parks Canada is committed to openness, transparency and sharing timely, accurate and clear information with the public. For this reason, public information sessions to share the results of the “What We Heard” report are being planned for later this spring in Osoyoos, Oliver and Penticton. Details on these public information sessions will be provided in the near future.

Parks Canada is working with a third-party consultant to review the feedback collected through the public consultations and is preparing a “What We Heard” report. The report will include a summary of the results of the consultation, which will inform future discussions regarding the proposed national park reserve. Parks Canada is currently focused on the preparation of the “What We Heard” report and, therefore, will not be participating in South Okanagan Similkameen Preservation Society’s public meeting.

Parks Canada undertook broad and extensive consultations with residents of the region, stakeholders and all Canadians to obtain their views on the proposed boundary and key aspects for consideration in the management of the lands. Their input will inform the assessment of the establishment of a national park reserve in the South Okanagan-Similkameen. In total, Parks Canada’s Project Manager met with 39 groups. In addition, senior officials from Parks Canada responsible for park establishment met in-person with several key stakeholders.

Parks Canada’s goal is to have an agreement on a final boundary for the proposed national park reserve and an approach to the management of the lands in place by summer 2019. Steps would then be undertaken towards the formal establishment of a national park reserve in the South Okanagan-Similkameen.

A new national park reserve in the South Okanagan-Similkameen would protect and represent one of the most endangered natural regions in Canada and enable this inspiring landscape to be shared with Canadians and visitors from around the world.