The Province recently announced a new Adventure Tourism Hub as the next step in improving BC’s permitting process, making it easier for businesses to seek land-tenure approval for popular tourism activities. These include heliskiing, cat skiing, heli-assisted guiding activities, commercial snowmobiling, and snowmobile-assisted activities.

“This new approach to adventure tourism permitting supports investment and reflects the importance of tourism as a key part of BC’s economy,” said Randene Neill, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. “With these and other changes to the permitting process, we are making it easier for businesses to get the permits they need, launch their projects and grow the economy.”

The Adventure Tourism Hub is a single point of contact for operators. Under the previous system, applications were handled regionally. Adventure Tourism Hub applications are accepted through FrontCounter BC and routed to a dedicated group that will coordinate applications across agencies, liaise with other authorizing agencies, and provide applicants with a single point of contact.

The hub is considered a pilot project at this time, with an initial focus on heli-skiing/guiding, cat skiing, and guided snowmobiling. It will also be a place where new approaches to processes and policies will be tested, benefiting the broader adventure tourism sector.

“Removing barriers for adventure tourism operators is a positive step for businesses and the tourism sector overall. When business owners and investors have clarity on processes, they can invest and grow with confidence," says Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC) CEO, Amber Papou. "TIABC is pleased to see the Province listening to the needs of the industry and working across government to help create the right conditions for tourism industry growth.”

Read the full Government of BC press release here.