Advocacy & Policy
Policy & Positions Manual
<< back to Policy & Positions Manual
Stemming the Loss of BC’s Campgrounds (2008)
As we look to achieve the Provincial Government’s target of doubling tourism revenues to $18 billion/year by 2015 we are seriously hampered in this effort by declines in BC’s recreational lodging and campground sector.
While tourism remains one of the largest sectors in BC we have seen a substantial decrease in the private camping and recreational vehicle sites in this province, an integral part of the tourism brand of BC over the past few years.
Currently in the BC private campground sector, there are 936 campgrounds that provide tenting and recreational vehicle accommodation with 44,481 sites available. The Provincial Park facilities have 340 campgrounds with 11,125 campsites.
However, according to Tourism British Columbia statistics we have seen significant reductions in these facilities. From 2005-2007 we have seen:
- 74 campground (7.95%) closed
- 4,759 campsites (10.54%) shut down
Statistics provided by BC Stats shows that the number of recreational lodge properties in some regions has decreased by as much as 33% between 1999 and 2006.
The loss of these campgrounds, RV parks and recreational lodge properties is a worrying trend as these facilities offer a unique experience and are being lost in situations that also entail the loss of the land they were situated on.
While the reasons for this reduction will vary from region to region and from site to site, there are several significant trends.
The trends show that business owners of private campgrounds, especially on waterfront, have been offered so high a compensation that the owner feels little choice but to sell to developers or redevelop their property themselves as condos or higher end homes.
Municipal taxes are another reason for owners to consider selling, as many mid size campground owners work half their summer just to pay the tax bill.
Most of the problem is related to land value inflation and subsequent pressures to sell for redevelopment, combined with soaring property taxes. Particularly in unincorporated areas, as the variable tax rate has not decreased in any substantive manner, even when total assessed values double or triple for many regions.
The campgrounds had their unimproved parcels moved from Class 6 (business and other) to Class 8 (recreational) a couple of years ago as a result of this concern, but unfortunately this has not significantly stemmed the trend of sale for redevelopment.
There is also a trend to convert sites from transient overnight sites to property ownership.
With the loss of these accommodation areas there is a compounded negative economic spin off – with lack of tourist who are able to be accommodated, especially families, the family attractions suffer, the small shops, local grocery stores, restaurants and other local tourism businesses suffer as a result.
Whether the camper is a domestic tourist or is a visitor from another province, or from the USA, We no longer have the range of facilities that provides an experience that encourages visitors to return. Without such facilities they will find other provinces, or stay at home instead of traveling to our province. The BC Provincial Government has stated that they would like to double tourism by 2015 – this cannot be achieved with the continuation of diminishing BC accommodations.
THE CHAMBER RECOMMENDS
That the Provincial Government
- set a goal to increase campsites, recreational lodging and RV spaces by 25% over the next 5 years;
- pursue identification of suitable Crown land for campsite and RV development.
- support private sector recreational property, economic viability and sustainability through a review of the BC Assessment Valuations for this class.