BCSF Brings Snowmobiling's Voice to Budget 2027 Consultations
The BC Snowmobile Federation recently appeared before the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services as part of the Province's Budget 2027 consultation process, continuing our work to ensure the interests of snowmobilers, recreation clubs, and rural communities are represented at the provincial level.
photo: Nicole Matei | Whistler, BC
Outdoor Recreation Delivers Real Value
Executive Director Amber Lane delivered the presentation on behalf of both the BC Snowmobile Federation and the BC Powersports Coalition, a collaborative group representing snowmobile, ATV, off-road motorcycle, and four-wheel-drive recreation organizations across British Columbia.
Together, the Coalition represents more than 325,000 recreation users, over 28,000 kilometres of managed trails, and more than 120 volunteer-led clubs and associations. The presentation highlighted the significant contribution organized outdoor recreation makes toward many of government's stated priorities, including economic growth, tourism, rural development, public safety, health and wellbeing, and strong communities throughout British Columbia.
The Coalition emphasized that outdoor recreation is far more than a leisure activity. It is an important contributor to local economies, tourism, community wellbeing, and quality of life in communities across the province.
Moving from Strategy to Implementation
The presentation focused on implementation of BC's Outdoor Recreation Strategy. While the Province has taken an important step by recognizing outdoor recreation as a sector in its own right, the Coalition emphasized that meaningful implementation will require investment in the recreation infrastructure system that already exists across British Columbia.
A key message delivered to the Committee was that recreation infrastructure extends far beyond trails, bridges, parking lots, and staging areas. It also includes the organizations, volunteer networks, insurance programs, safety frameworks, training, stewardship initiatives, and partnerships that make recreation possible. Without these systems, local clubs would face significantly greater challenges delivering the recreation opportunities, tourism benefits, and community value that British Columbians rely on.
Provincial recreation organizations play an important role in supporting local clubs, managing risk, developing best practices, advocating for access, delivering safety initiatives, and helping turn recreation opportunities into sustainable community and tourism assets.
Three Recommendations for Budget 2027
To help move the Outdoor Recreation Strategy from vision to action, the BC Powersports Coalition presented three recommendations:
Create a Dedicated Recreation Infrastructure Fund to support recreation infrastructure, volunteer organizations, stewardship initiatives, and the systems required to deliver recreation safely and sustainably.
Develop a User-Based Funding Model for Recreation that reinvests recreation-generated revenues back into recreation infrastructure, provincial organizations, and local clubs. While recreation users already contribute significantly through trail passes, memberships, volunteer labour, and fundraising, additional tools are needed to support major infrastructure improvements and long-term capital investments.
Support High-Value Recreation Access Roads and Infrastructure that continue to provide recreation, tourism, emergency access, and community benefits after industrial use has ended, helping communities maintain access to the outdoor assets that support local economies and quality of life.
Together, these recommendations would help provide long-term stability for recreation organizations, local clubs, communities, and government while supporting implementation of the Outdoor Recreation Strategy.
Advocating for the Future of Outdoor Recreation
The Budget 2027 consultation provided another opportunity to reinforce a message the BCSF has consistently advanced for many years: outdoor recreation is not simply a leisure activity. It is a significant contributor to British Columbia's economy, tourism industry, public health, community wellbeing, and rural development.
Working alongside our partners in the BC Powersports Coalition, the Federation continues to advocate for practical, long-term solutions that protect recreation access, strengthen volunteer-led organizations, and ensure outdoor recreation remains a valuable asset for communities across British Columbia.
As government moves from strategy toward implementation, the BCSF will continue ensuring the voice of organized snowmobiling is represented in the decisions that shape the future of outdoor recreation in British Columbia.
Learn More About Snowmobiling's Economic Impact
The recommendations presented to the Committee were grounded in a simple reality: organized snowmobiling generates significant economic, tourism, and community benefits throughout British Columbia.
Watch our short video to learn how snowmobiling supports jobs, businesses, tourism operators, and rural communities across the province.
