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BC Parks Licence Plate funding feeds local programs
Projects focus on conservation or recreation
Trail improvements, ecosystem restoration and accessibility enhancements are among the more than 100 community-led projects that will receive support through the BC Parks Licence Plate Program this year, including four East Kootenay area projects.
In 2026, $350,000 from the Community Park Enhancement Fund will help support projects focused on conservation and recreation in parks and protected areas throughout B.C. The funding is made possible through revenue generated by BC Parks licence plate sales.
“The Community Park Enhancement Fund empowers local organizations, volunteers and Indigenous partners to identify and lead small projects that make a difference for the people who frequently use and help steward parks,” said Tamara Davidson, Minister of Environment and Parks.
“For nearly a decade, the BC Parks Licence Plate Program has helped fund meaningful improvements in parks across the province. These community-led projects demonstrate the power of partnerships in making parks more inclusive, welcoming and sustainable for everyone.”
The Community Park Enhancement Fund began in 2013, with projects delivered in collaboration with Indigenous partners, community groups, volunteers, academic researchers and non-profit organizations, a Ministry of Environment and Parks media release noted.
Some of the projects have focused on invasive species management and removal, habitat and wildlife monitoring, trail improvements and maintenance, education and interpretive signage, ecosystem restoration, accessibility enhancements, youth engagement programs, and more.
Regional organizations to receive funds: Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network; Elk River Watershed Alliance; Fernie Trails Alliance; and Goldeneye Ecological Services.
The BC Parks Licence Plate Program is managed through a partnership between the Province and ICBC, with motorists choosing one of three specialty plate designs depicting scenes from B.C.’s parks and protected areas.
All net proceeds from the sale and renewals of the specialty plates are reinvested into provincial parks through the Park Enhancement Fund, an account that supports the delivery of priority programs and services in provincial parks, complementing and sustaining the broader parks system.
Lead image: Lake Windermere Ambassadors staff and Goldeneye Ecological Services biologist Rachell Darvill monitor bank swallows by boat on Lake Windermere. BC Government photo
