B.C. backcountry users seeking 'Right to Roam' bolstered by court decision
"We're not asking for what you might see in Scotland, where you can hike through someone's backyard with clothes on the line" — Barry Janyk, executive director, B.C. Federation of Mountain Clubs
A recent B.C. Supreme Court decision restoring public access to two fishing lakes on land owned by the Douglas Lake Cattle Company has reinvigorated efforts by backcountry users who want the provincial government to enact Right to Roam legislation.
Barry Janyk, the executive director of the B.C. Federation of Mountain Clubs, said he plans to attend the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention next week to lobby the provincial government for changes.
“Across the province, people are being frustrated by gates and closures,” he said. “Just because there’s private land in the front country does not mean it should prevent access to the backcountry.”
Right to Roam legislation is common in Northern Europe, where several countries allow varying levels of non-motorized access to both public and private lands for recreation.
In a written summary of its position, the federation said it doesn’t want “carte blanche” access to all B.C. lands, recognizing concerns around “safety, environmental stewardship and liability.”