British Columbia tourism leaders convened with Hon. Anne Kang, minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture & Sport, on November 28 to discuss strategies for strengthening the province’s visitor economy.
Hosted by the Tourism Industry Association of British Columbia (TIABC), the roundtable highlighted challenges facing private campgrounds and RV parks and explored policy solutions to support operators across the province.
The roundtable included representatives from regional and provincial tourism organizations, with BCLCA Executive Director Joss Penny attending to highlight the state of BC’s camping and RV sector.
According to a newsletter from BCLCA Dogwood Express, BCLCA emphasized the economic significance of camping and RVing, noting that these activities attract over one million visitors annually and generate more than CA$1.7 billion in direct spending.
British Columbia is home to 1,878 campgrounds, with domestic visitors from the province itself accounting for 56% of stays and Albertans contributing 17%.
Private operators remain critical to rural economic development and year-round tourism.
Rising operational costs are a major pressure point for private campgrounds. Insurance, utilities, wages, and property taxes are increasing faster than inflation, while guests are becoming more cost-conscious.
Average rates for full-service campsites now stand at CA$73.60 per night. Operators are balancing these price realities with longer guest stays.
Artificially low public-sector pricing also poses challenges. BCLCA cited Parks Canada discounting and BC Parks’ 10-year fee freeze as factors distorting the market and making it difficult for private operators to compete.
To address this, BCLCA recommended implementing an automatic, inflation-based pricing model for BC Parks and a one-time CA$5 per-site fee increase. The association noted this could help cover the estimated CA$20 million annual infrastructure shortfall in public parks.
Another emerging concern is the use of RV parks and campgrounds for extended stays. Seasonal workers, seniors, and digital nomads increasingly occupy sites for months at a time.
These long-term stays have led to disputes with the Residential Tenancy Branch, despite most cases not falling under tenancy law. BCLCA is advocating for government clarification that such arrangements are licences to occupy, not residential tenancies.