It is up to us to conserve our wild spaces

British Columbia’s neglect of wild things and wild spaces is a slow motion trainwreck.

With a provincial election coming this fall, the stakes could not be higher for B.C. wildlife and habitat, not to mention fresh and saltwater anglers, hikers, campers, hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. Iconic species are in obvious decline and candidates for office ignore us at their peril.

We need to convince our elected officials to Put Wildlife First and we have the numbers to make it happen. B.C. is home to 300,000 freshwater anglers, 275,000 saltwater anglers, 316,000 firearms license holders, and 110,000 licensed hunters. The EKWA represents 3700 members with 9 organizations. The numbers are in our favour.

The East Kootenay Wildlife Association (EKWA) is working to ensure that candidates and parties Put Wildlife First in their platforms. EKWA is engaging with candidates and parties, holding town halls, and encouraging the public to vote alongside our members with wildlife in mind. Make sure you know which candidates and parties are committed to independent, science-based resource management, with transparent, legislated objectives for improvement.

British Columbia has been defunding the environment and wildlife management for nearly 50 years. Dollars dedicated to wild things and wild spaces have declined from more than five per cent of total provincial expenditures to about one per cent. Less than one percent of your tax dollars are going to take care of what we all cherish.

Stated another way, the provincial government’s allocation for natural resource management as a proportion of the total budget is down more than 75 per cent. Budget dedicated directly to fish and wildlife management is even less. 

B.C. has long profited from natural resource extraction. We must use some of that money to ensure that service roads are removed, extraction sites are rehabilitated, forests are maintained, and habitat is restored. B.C. is failing on every count.

We can influence this election candidate by candidate, vote by vote. If you want to see a change in how our wildlife is managed, you must attend campaign events and talk to your local candidates. It is vital that they hear our concerns everywhere they go.

Ask questions of your candidates and demand answers.

Unless the province sets aside a meaningful portion of our provincial budget for our renewable resources, we will continue to see fish and wildlife decline, experience massive uncontrollable wildfires, and suffer the consequences of widespread flood and drought. 

You are not powerless in this struggle. Elections in B.C. are won and lost by a few thousand votes across swing ridings. The outdoors community, EKWA members, hunters, and anglers number in the hundreds of thousands. We can decide the next election.

Use your voice. Loudly.