Apply for a new park use permit: Research

Use of park land for research activities

Eligibility

In order to hold a park use permit or ecological reserve permit, you must be one of the following:

  • Individual 19 years of age or older (including sole proprietors)
  • Corporation incorporated or registered in British Columbia in compliance with the Business Corporations Act
  • Partnership, Cooperative, Society or Association incorporated under the Societies Act or registered in British Columbia
  • Educational institution (e.g. school districts, public or private post secondary Institutions)
  • Indian Band, Tribal Council, or First Nations People applying through band corporations
  • Municipalities, regional districts, or other federal, provincial or state government entities

Overview

Research is any activity intended to increase knowledge of a certain study area using observable, empirical or measurable evidence. Any research activity that meets the criteria listed in section 1.1.1 of Bsection 1.1.1.of BC Parks Research Permit Policy (PDF,530KB) requires this type of permit. This permit covers research activities, such as specimen collections, surveys, inventories and monitoring plots, that are undertaken in parks, protected areas, conservancies or recreation areas (collectively, 'parks'). Research activities must contribute to scientific knowledge, provide educational opportunities, help to ensure public health or safety, increase knowledge of the protected area's values or increase public inspiration/use/enjoyment of the protected area.

BC Parks will only approve applications that meet one of the purposes listed above, have no potential to result in adverse impacts and are justified to be located within a park according to section 2.2 of BC Parks Research Permit Policy.

Research in an ecological reserve requires an ecological reserve permit.

Discuss your application with the BC Parks area supervisor responsible for the protected land(s) for which you are applying. Area supervisors are the BC Parks staff responsible for particular park(s). Contact information for BC Parks regional offices can be found on BC Parks website.

Costs and responsibilities

Fees

No fees are required for research permits.

Responsibilities

It is your responsibility to:

  • Obtain all other applicable licences, tenures or permits prior to the issuance of a park use permit
  • Ensure that your park use permit's annual requirements, such as proof of insurance, fees and reports, are met each year
  • Visit BC Registries and Digital Services and determine whether or not you must be registered to do business in British Columbia:
    • ​Businesses must either be licensed to do business in British Columbia or, if licensed or incorporated outside of British Columbia (considered to be 'extra-provincial companies'), be in compliance with section 375 of the Business Corporations Act to operate in British Columbia
    • Extra-provincial societies must be registered under the Societies Act in order to hold a park use permit or resource use permit in British Columbia. An extra-provincial society is a society or association, or a specific branch of a society or association, that was formed outside British Columbia 
  • A park use permit holder is responsible for abiding by the terms and conditions of the permit document provided

Why would an application be denied?

BC Parks considers the impacts of a proposed activity and the particular values of the parklands in question when evaluating a permit application. If your application is denied, you will be provided with a letter indicating the reason(s) your application was unsuccessful and any application fee that may have been paid will not be refunded. The list below provides some common examples of why BC Parks may deny a research permit application:

  • BC Parks might not approve any new research permits if a conservancy does not have an approved management plan. Approved management plans are listed on BC Parks website
  • BC Parks might not approve any new research permits if there are concerns about adverse impacts to the values of that particular park, conservancy, protected area, or recreation area. BC Parks Research Permit Policy (PDF,530KB) does not support research activities that would result in adverse impacts
  • BC Parks might not approve an activity that conflicts with other approved activities or recreational uses of a park, conservancy, protected area, or recreation area

Apply

Review and collect the information and documents required before you start an application.

Apply

If you’re unable to access this application, check current outage notices or reach out for support.

Consultation with area supervisor

  • Consultation with an area supervisor is recommended prior to submitting an application. Area supervisors are the BC Parks staff responsible for particular parks. Contact information for BC Parks' regional offices can be found on BC Parks website
  • It is recommended that you review the park management plan before submitting your application. If no management plan is available for the park(s) you are interested in, BC Parks recommends discussing your application with the area supervisor

Documents and co-permittee information

  • A detailed Research Management Plan (DOCX, 100KB) that describes the nature of the activities, including the timing, frequency and anticipated number of personnel, and specific location(s)
  • Any additional documentation supporting the application, such as photographs or correspondence with First Nations
  • Co-permittee consent and contact details, if applicable

Maps

Digital maps must be submitted as part of the online application. Map(s) must be submitted for each park included in the application according the following mapping standards:

  • Digital maps submitted as PDFs or image files must include a north arrow, a scale bar (as described below) and a legend. Georeferenced spatial files may also be submitted and must be in BC Albers, NAD 83 projection

General location map:

  • A map of the individual park(s)/ecological reserve(s) within the application
  • Drawn between 1:50 000 and 1:250 000 in scale (or larger if a large scale is required to encompass the boundaries of the permit area)
  • Illustrates at a landscape level scale the general location of the area under application, including boundaries of the proposed permit area, travel/access routes and major landmarks

Permit area maps:

  • More detailed map(s) of the proposed permit area(s), required in addition to a general location map if you have improvements or specific areas of the park that you will be using more intensively
  • Drawn between 1:20 000 and 1:50 000 scale, showing the exact proposed boundaries of the permit area 
  • Includes the area (in hectares) and any watercourses or other identifying features (trails, facilities, roads, etc.)
  • Clearly identifies the location of travel/access routes, and specific study/activity site(s)
  • If applicable, describe the construction, location(s) and use(s) of any new or pre-existing facilities within the permit area, as well as the proposed size(s) and location(s) of all future improvements

Digital maps or georeferenced spatial files may be prepared using the NROS Explore by Location Tool, FrontCounter BC Discovery Tool or iMapBC tool.

Consulting First Nations

The Province is committed to reconciliation as part of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People Act.

The Province is responsible for ensuring adequate and appropriate consultation and accommodation, it may involve the proponent in the procedural aspects of consultation.

Proponents are encouraged to engage with First Nations as early as possible in the planning stages to build relationships and for information sharing purposes. To get more information about the guidelines and procedure manuals that are designed to assist government officials and proponents with meeting consultation obligations, please visit Consulting with First Nations.

Register for BCeID to submit an application to FrontCounter BC

A BCeID allows you to save, reopen and check the status of your natural resource application: 

  • Basic BCeID can be used in a personal capacity
  • Business BCeID is used when representing a legal entity 
Register

Submit an application

Once you have assembled the required information for your application, apply online.

Apply

If you’re unable to access this application, check current outage notices or reach out for support.

Update your application

After you have submitted an application, you can amend or cancel it:

After you apply

Your application will go through the following process before any decision is made:

  1. Receiving the application
    Your application will be reviewed to ensure that it is complete. If necessary, you will be contacted for more information.

    An application will not be processed until all required information and application fee have been received.

    The submission of an application does NOT allow you any rights to the park land. A park use permit, if issued, would grant this authority.

  2. Adjudication
    The target time frame for making a decision on your application is 60 days after a complete application is received. BC Parks target times may be affected by other required processes, such as requests to you for additional information or requirements for First Nations consultation.

    Applications will be processed in the order that they are received. The 60 day time frame will not be changed to accommodate "rush" applications.

    BC Parks staff will review the application to determine whether additional assessments, such as ecological or archaeological assessments, or consultation, such as First Nations consultation, may be required. Some assessments will be completed by BC Parks, but other assessments may be the responsibility of the applicant to complete at their own cost.

    BC Parks staff and, or FrontCounter BC staff  may contact you throughout the application process to discuss your application as required.

    BC Parks considers the impacts of a proposed activity and the particular values of the parklands in question when evaluating a permit application. If your application is denied, you will be provided with a letter indicating the reason(s) for denial.

  3. Request final requirements
    If the statutory decision maker approves the permit, the FrontCounter BC permit clerk will email you a draft permit and notify you of the permit's final requirements. If no email address was provided, you will be notified by letter instead.

    ​Examples of final requirements:

  • Written agreement to the terms and conditions set out in the draft permit
  • Proof of insurance
  • Financial guarantee

If you do not respond to the request for final requirements by the indicated due date, your application will be withdrawn, your file will be closed and your application fee will not be refunded.

  1. Issuance of permit
    Once all final requirements are met, the permit will be issued and sent to you by FrontCounter BC via email. If no email address was provided, a hard copy will be sent to you by mail.

Application enquiries

Read more about application processing and how to check the status of your application.

Contact information

Find the FrontCounter BC office closest to you.

FrontCounter BC Toll Free
1-877-855-3222
Email
FrontCounterBC@gov.bc.ca

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