When the BC Parks Licence Plate Program was launched in 2017, the hope was to sell 37,000 sets of plates by the five-year anniversary in 2022.
Instead, the program was a phenomenal success from the get-go, with 37,000 plates snapped up in the first six months. By the time 2022 rolled around, more than 300,000 sets had been sold, and as of 2023 there have been 402,112 sets of BC Parks licence plates sold.
READ MORE: BC Parks licence plate program celebrating five years of success
Net proceeds from the initial sale of the plates, and all proceeds from renewals, are invested into BC Parks through the Park Enhancement Fund. In 2022/23 that translated to around $10 million in net revenue from the program, which funded more than 250 projects — in partnership with more than 185 community partners — that enhanced more than 200 of B.C.’s provincial parks.
Among the projects funded were the Student Ranger program, which saw 51 students working in 14 locations around the province to remove invasive species, conduct surveys, build and install picnic tables and food caches, hold outreach programs for youth, and more. Funding from the licence plate program also helped protect nature through a variety of conservation initiatives, and support education, engagement, and enhancement projects.
In the Thompson-Cariboo area in 2022/23, funds were used for long term ecological monitoring at Elephant Hill Park near Ashcroft and Lac Du Bois Grasslands near Kamloops; a salmon survey at the Tranquille River near Kamloops; and avian recording units and a Central Coast Mountain Goats survey. A fire management plan was developed for the Lac Du Bois Grasslands Protected Area, a Secwépemc landmarks project was undertaken, and a Secwépemc winter house was constructed.
In partnership with the Thompson-Nicola Regional District’s Invasive Plant Management Committee, an Earth Kids program was set up, to teach children in the region about invasive species and their impact on the environment. In partnership with the Kamloops Naturalist Club, areas that had been damaged by off-road vehicle activity were restored.
Province-wide, sales from the BC Parks licence plates went to fund a variety of initiatives, including the Discover Parks Ambassador program, signage to help prevent human-wildlife conflict, wildlife cameras and a WildCam network, a provincial Bat Inventory, and an inventory of items in the collection at the Royal BC Museum in Victoria.
For a full list of the projects funded around the province in 2022/223 from the BC Parks Licence Plate Program, go to https://bit.ly/3w28Ypu.
There were 78,615 BC Parks licence plates sold in 2022/23, an increase of 10 per cent over the previous year. The plate showing the Purcell Mountains proved to be the most popular; the other two designs feature the Kermode (Spirit) Bear and Porteau Cove overlooking Howe Sound.
The BC Parks plates have been so successful that ICBC is now looking at expanding the range of specialty licence plates on offer. Veterans’ licence plates are already available, and earlier this year B.C. residents had an opportunity to provide feedback on other specialty plates they would like to see.
READ MORE: Feedback sought on expanding specialty licence plate program
“Both ICBC and government regularly get requests from people asking whether there are licence plate options beyond what we currently offer,” said David Wong, president and CEO of ICBC. “Hearing directly from British Columbians on this topic is an important first step on a longer journey toward a wider variety of licence plates on our roads.”
The possibility of expanding the program to include non-profit organizations and charities is now being explored. Proceeds from these specialty plate purchases would be directed toward the sponsoring organization.
“We’ve seen the popularity of specialty plates in other jurisdictions and how British Columbians have embraced BC Parks plates,” says Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “The time is right to look at expanding the program.”