Update:

Thank You!

Thank you to the Bowen Island Conservancy and all its supporters for helping to ensure a positive outcome at Cape Roger Curtis, preserving safe access to the area for future generations, as well as Bowen Island Municipality and Metro Vancouver for reaching a solution.

Thank you to the Bowen Island community for your petitioning, letter writing, and passionate support. The No Camping Coalition is proud to donate its surplus funds to the Bowen Island Conservancy.

Help

STOP

Metro Vancouver's proposed 100-site campground on Bowen Island.

Metro Vancouver Regional Parks is developing a major regional park at Cape Roger Curtis. They have submitted an application to amend Bowen Island Municipality's bylaws and official commuinity plan to allow for up to 100 campsites at the park.This site provides information for the many opposed to overnight camping at Cape Roger Curtis.You can help by signing the petition opposed to overnight camping at the proposed park, writing a letter to council, or donating either time or money to help protect Bowen Island's safety, the community, and the environment.
I'm in the No Camp snail

The

Islands Trust

agrees that the proposed campground on Bowen Island:

Would be a high impact recreational activity
Is not compatible with preservation and protection of the environment
Would degrade environmentally sensitive areas
would change the character of the community

On August 25, 2023, the Islands Trust Executive Committee reviewed the proposed Bowen Island Bylaws 608 and 609 to allow camping at CRC and unanimously found them non-compliant on 10 counts:

  1. 4.4.2. That “water is an issue in that area based on public feedback and reports.“
  2. 5.2.3. That it “fails the test ofsocial impacts for a project of this size.“
  3. 5.2.4. They have “concern about the impact on the environment and community character.“
  4. 5.2.5. That “campground capacity of 450 persons exceeds density limits.“
  5. 5.5.4. That they are concerned about degradation of environmentally sensitive areas.
  6. 5.2.6. That a campgound of this size would have a “huge impact“ on the island. “Narrow road, no bike lanes and at the other end of the island to the ferry terminal.“
  7. 5.5.7. That “nothing in the plans say that when the campgound opens there will be new paths or bike lanes.Not realistic to think that people will walk 12km from the ferry to the campground.“
  8. 5.6.2 and 5.6.3. There is “no evidence of support from Squamish First Nation.“
  9. 5.7.2. "A campgound that allows 450 campers changes the character of the community."
Read the Islands Trust's response and BIM's report hereWatch the meeting recording here

Metro Vancouver

is not willing to make changes to the proposal or work with Bowen Island.

In meetings between Bowen Island Municipality and Metro Vancouver held September 6 and September 13, Metro responded that they:

Won't commit to the conditions presented by BIM council for the rezoning or list of issues presented.
Believe their board honoured their comitment to purchase the property for a park and campgound.
Will not be recommending any amendments to the application.
Believe BIM council should consider the rezoning application as it stands un-amended.

On September 6 , senior Bowen Island Municipality and Metro Vancouver officials met to discuss the applicaton and learn whether Metro is willing to make amendments to bring it into complicance, after the Islands Trust found that it was not. The "extensive list of issues with the proposal" were also on BIM's agenda for the meeting.

Metro Vancouver responded that they were not considering any amendments, believe their board has honoured their comitment to purchase the land, and believes BIM should consider the campground rezoning application as-is. .

On September 13 , BIM and Metro staff met to discuss the list of conditions for rezoning that Bowen Island's council generated in June.

Metro Vancouver responded that they are not willing to meet BIM's conditions. Among others, Metro declined funding to complete the multi-use path, a feasibility study for passenger ferry, alternate road access, subsidized water taxi, public transit extension, or reduction in vehicle-access sites.

The decision whether to approve the rezoning as-is remains with Bowen Island Mayor and Council.

Read the BIM report with Metro's responses here
Update: September 19 2023

Bowen Island Conservancy Offers

Bowen Island Conservancy has gone public with the details of an offer they made to Metro Vancouver in May for conservation measures and no camping in the park in return for $20 million.On September 12, the conservancy made a second offer to purchase the entire propoerty for $30 million, with the help of conservancy supporters.Read the conservancy's letter herePlease join us in thanking the conservancy and its supporters. We encourage the Metro Vancouver board and Bowen Island Municipality to work with the conservancy on a win-win solution.
A photo of the natural environment at Cape Roger Curtis