BC Government News Release: Supporting Adventure Tourism in BC with New Permitting Hub

Details from this BC Government news release:

Summary

• A dedicated team approach enables clearer and more predictable permitting for adventure tourism operators
• This is one more step in the Province’s efforts to speed up permitting, reduce backlogs and support the Look West: Tourism Sector Action Plan
• More efficient permitting means businesses get projects moving faster, growing the economy

A new Adventure Tourism Hub is the next step in improving British Columbia’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 hub model builds off the work the Province has done that has resulted in reduced permit timelines for housing, connectivity and electrification projects.

Permitting specialists ready to help with complex tenure applications

Adventure tourism operators have expressed the need for more predictability when it comes to permitting. Tenures for these activities cover large areas. New applications and renewals will now benefit from a dedicated team of experts that will manage these applications from intake to decision.

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 co-ordinate applications across agencies, liaise with other authorizing agencies and provide applicants one 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 activities. It will also be a place where new approaches to process and policy will be tested, which will benefit the broader adventure tourism sector.

Supporting tourism as key driver of economic diversification, growth

This new approach adds consistency and improves turnaround times for operators. It also supports the Province’s Look West: Tourism Sector Action Plan to double visitor spending by 2036 by making sure tourism operators have what they need to grow, innovate and keep B.C. competitive on the global stage. Streamlining authorization and regulatory processes unlocks new potential for tourism growth, which strengthened the economy, supports jobs in rural and remote places and delivers an exceptional experience for visitors.

“B.C.’s natural beauty and access to the outdoors are a major reason visitors choose our province,” said Anne Kang, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. “With this new hub, businesses will more effectively be able to offer unique BC adventures, drawing more visitors, creating good jobs and growing the economy. This is another big step towards delivering the Look West Tourism Sector Action Plan goal to grow tourism in B.C.”

The Look West industrial and economic strategy leverages BC strengths and work underway to be the economic engine of Canada, advance nation-building major projects, create good jobs and skills training opportunities for people, and grow key sectors that are driving economic growth into the future.

New initiatives make difference in permitting times

The Adventure Tourism Hub is part of a government-wide push to streamline the permitting process, which includes initiatives across several sectors that are important to growing BC’s economy. Budget 2026 supports this work, with $7.5 million for the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship to support permitting activities, as part of a broader strategy that includes:

• changes to the Water Sustainability Regulation and Riparian Areas Protection Regulation to improve clarity and support people and businesses to reduce project timelines, with more to come
• a one-window approach to housing and connectivity has eliminated 100% of backlogged housing applications and reduced timelines for housing and connectivity by roughly 40-50%
• since July 2024, the average permitting time for land and water electrification applications has decreased by more than 80%
• a specialized team within the Ministry of Transportation and Transit that approves water licences for transportation projects has reduced approval times from 12-24 months to less than a month

Learn More: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2026WLRS0020-000388