Funding overdue
What is happening in Powell River [“Backcountry vandalism threatens safety,” May 11] is also a problem in our provincial parks.
We need to urge the BC government to take action and provide adequate resources and monitoring in our backcountry and parks to prevent vandalism, dumping and wildfires.
BC Parks is the largest provincial system in Canada and yet it is one of the worst funded per hectare in the country. It is operating at a 1990s level of funding, despite the fact we have more parks than ever before.
It is estimated that there is about one park ranger for every 12 provincial parks in the province. Without proper funding for rangers, or resources for maintenance and enforcement, these stretches of precious wilderness are subject to the same threats of vandalism and illegal dumping and harvesting.
Increased funding for our provincial parks is long overdue.
Michelle Sz
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society
Chaos concern
We are all saddened by the Fort McMurray wildfire disaster [“Wildfire raises evacuation questions,” May 11].
We heard words like “chaotic” when the evacuation was described, families being separated as they headed either north or south out of town with less than an hour to prepare. But they had a road going north and south.
What does Powell River have?
Lois Goodman
Manson Avenue
