Bulletins

Designated activities

Pursuant to Section 7.1(2) of the National Parks General Regulations, the following activities are hereby designated as requiring an authorization by order of the Superintendent, Gulf Islands National Park Reserve of Canada:

List of designated activities with descriptions

1. Use of mooring buoys and docks, subject to the following terms and conditions:

• Permit required after 3 p.m.; form must be completely filled out and displayed in a conspicuous location facing the dock when moored to it, or on the starboard side of the vessel when moored to a buoy.
• Only one vessel per buoy; rafting is prohibited at all times.
• The following vessel size / wind speed guidelines apply:

- Vessels up to 15 m in length are permitted to use the buoys with winds under 30 knots.
- Vessels up to 12 m in length are permitted to use the buoys with winds between 30 – 37 knots.
- Mooring on buoys is prohibited when wind speeds exceed 37 knots.

2. All activities associated with conducting research in the natural or social sciences, including performing field work, collecting specimens and / or samples, conducting surveys, and any other activity with the potential to disturb natural and / or cultural resources, or negatively impact visitor experience.

3. All activities associated with commercial filming, video production and photography.

4. Private events, social gatherings or celebrations with groups larger than 15 persons for day use areas, or 12 persons staying overnight in backcountry campgrounds (e.g. weddings, sporting events, family reunions, etc.).

The designation of these activities is deemed necessary for the proper management of the park.

A “designated activity” means any activity in a park, including travel, entry in an area of a park and the use of any facility in a park, that is designated in accordance with subsection (2).

An “authorization” means a pass, licence, ticket or other form of permission issued by the Superintendent, authorizing the holder to carry on any designated activity. The holder of an authorization shall, at the request of the Superintendent, a Park Warden or other Park Officer, produce the authorization for inspection.

Engaging in a designated activity without an authorization, or in contravention of the terms and conditions of an authorization, may result in charges under the Canada National Parks Act, and where applicable, the cancellation of the authorization.

For further clarification, businesses conducting any part of their commercial operation within the National Park require a business licence.

For the purposes of the act, a “business” is defined as any trade, industry, employment, occupation, activity or special event carried on in a park for profit, gain, fund raising or commercial promotion, and includes an undertaking carried on in a park by a charitable organization, or by an organization or individual on a non-profit basis.

Effective date: 1 May 2014

Jim GREENFIELD, Acting Superintendent, Gulf Islands National Park Reserve