By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle
Parks Canada has released its latest public update on the proposed national park reserve (NPR) in the South Okanagan-Similkameen, with little visible progress from the last update in early March last year.
The process, aimed at creating the nearly 273 sq km national park reserve on areas around Mount Kruger and Mount Kobau, remains on the third of five phases involving tripartite negotiations – the same as one year ago.
Negotiations toward establishing a national park reserve (NPR) are taking place through a partnership between Parks Canada, the Government of British Columbia and the syilx Okanagan Nation. The Nation is represented in this process by the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB) and Lower Similkameen Indian Band (LSIB).
“The partners are working towards an establishment agreement which would outline how a new NPR would be created and jointly managed,” by the three parties, Parks Canada said.
In 2025, the partners met with a variety of local elected officials to discuss the proposed NPR. This included the MLA, MP, mayors and councillors, and the Regional District. “These meetings were an opportunity for the partners to continue to receive input and feedback,” the update said.
Parks Canada noted that In recent months stakeholders and the general public have expressed an increasing interest in understanding how research and monitoring would be enabled in an NPR.
In response Parks Canada said it works with external universities and scientists on projects that study the environment, ecosystems, and wildlife in national parks.
These research and monitoring activities require a permit, and if the proposed NPR is created, researchers will be able to apply for permits. Existing monitoring programs led by the Province will continue, in collaboration with Parks Canada, the OIB and the LSIB, it said.
Boundaries of proposed National Park Reserve.
Parks Canada map
The update also reiterated the core tenant that private land sales would only be included through a “willing seller, willing buyer” basis.
This means:
- Landowners who want to sell can let Parks Canada know;
- Parks Canada must also be interested in buying the land;
- Parks Canada cannot take land away from owners to create the park (no expropriation);
- Landowners can sell their land to any buyer, not just Parks Canada.
In 2018/19 Parks Canada held public consultations including 39 meetings with stakeholder groups representing 627 local stakeholders, 2,848 survey submissions, 379 phone calls and emails along with 300 media articles about the proposals.
The engagement is ongoing Parks Canada said with individualized correspondence with about 930 individuals from over 300 organizations, six public update newsletters to over 4,000 residents and emailed to over 3,000 subscribers
