School children are pictured on an excursion in the South Okanagan in an area which could eventually become a national park.

Image Credit: T.W. COOPER

Negotiations to establish a national park reserve in the South Okanagan-Similkameen region have been ongoing for more than 20 years, and Parks Canada is still working to bring the proposal to life.

Sarah Boyle, project manager with Parks Canada, presented an update last week to the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) board.

“It’s been a couple of years since I’ve had the opportunity to speak with the RDOS, so this is a chance to get everyone on the same page,” said Boyle.

The proposed park would stretch from Osoyoos near the U.S. border north to Oliver, west to Keremeos and Cawston along the Similkameen River, and east toward Okanagan Lake near Penticton.

Boyle noted the park was originally proposed in 2004 at roughly three times its current size. Over the years, public consultations and other factors have reduced the proposed boundary to about 273 square kilometres.

The Osoyoos Indian Band and Lower Similkameen Indian Band are involved in the discussions but remain neutral on the project.

“There’s no formal decision yet,” said Boyle. “But all parties — Parks Canada, the province, and both First Nations — are still at the table. We’re closer than we’ve ever been to agreeing on governance structures.”

None of the proposed park land overlaps with OIB or LSIB reserves, though it borders land they own.

The area under discussion is primarily provincial Crown land and existing protected areas. No private land will be included without the owner’s consent, Boyle emphasized.

“There is no obligation to sell to Parks Canada,” she said. “But several private landowners have expressed interest.”

A feasibility study conducted between 2004 and 2012 found the park reserve viable, but the provincial government at the time declined to move forward. Indigenous communities were not part of those early negotiations.

In 2011, the process was halted partly due to plans to phase out cattle grazing. Talks resumed in 2017, this time with Indigenous involvement and assurances that cattle grazing would continue. Since then, negotiations have made steady progress.

If finalized, the agreement would include several guarantees:

• No toll roads
• No expropriation of private lands
• Protection from mineral or forestry development
• Continued provincial administration of highways

Emergency planning — including fire, flood, and landslide response — would be built into the agreement. Boyle said memorandums of understanding would be established to ensure resources are ready when emergencies occur.

She also highlighted the broader federal goals. Parks Canada aims to protect 30% of Canada’s lands and waters by 2030. This includes creating 10 new national parks, 10 marine conservation areas, and 15 urban parks, all in collaboration with Indigenous communities.

“This region could contribute to that national goal,” Boyle said.

The South Okanagan-Similkameen represents the Interior Dry Plateau, a semi-arid ecozone found nowhere else in Canada. Under the National Parks System Plan, each of Canada’s 39 geographic regions is meant to be represented by at least one national park.

Currently, Parks Canada oversees 48 national parks and park reserves, 171 national historic sites, five marine conservation areas and one national urban park

Together, these protect over 450,000 square kilometres — 3.4% of Canada’s landmass — making Parks Canada the country’s largest federal landholder.

Boyle also stressed the economic benefits. Parks Canada operations generate $4 billion annually for Canada’s GDP, support over 40,000 jobs, and return $584 million in tax revenue.

“These sites are major economic drivers for rural and Indigenous communities,” she said.

Most new parks are now created in partnership with Indigenous peoples, in contrast to historic practices that excluded or displaced them. Over the past 25 years, 11 new national parks have been created, protecting nearly 95,000 square kilometres.

“We’re currently at the stage of negotiating and signing agreements,” Boyle said. “This process started in 2004, and many of you have been involved since the beginning.”

She expressed hope that a land transfer agreement between Parks Canada, the province, and Indigenous partners can be finalized soon.

“That’s the key piece still in progress,” she said. “We’re working toward a decision point — hopefully sooner rather than later. It’s been a long process, and we know people are getting impatient.”

— This story was originally published by the Penticton Herald

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