Record demand for Spark Grants supporting access to BC Parks as 2026 recipients announced

Vancouver, BC, May 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BC Parks Foundation is announcing this year’s Spark Grant recipients following record demand for the program, with applications from dozens of community groups across British Columbia seeking support to access BC’s provincial parks. 

Entering its fourth year, Spark Grants have supported more than 33,000 participants and enabled over 155,000 hours outdoors in BC’s parks, with more than $600,000 granted to equity-deserving communities. The program continues to respond to growing demand from groups seeking support to get into parks.

Spark Grants are supported in part by funding from the BC Parks Licence Plate Program and contribute to BC Parks’ Commitment to Inclusion, a province-wide effort to ensure parks are welcoming and meaningfully accessible to all. The program focuses on addressing practical barriers identified by community groups, including transportation, equipment, coordination, and access to knowledgeable guides.

Each year, millions of people visit BC’s provincial parks, but not everyone has the same opportunity to get there. Applications to the Spark program show strong interest from a wide range of communities, including Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, newcomers to Canada, 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, people living with disabilities, and youth at risk, among others. These applications reflect a growing demand for park experiences that are inclusive, community-led, and responsive to diverse needs across the province.

For funded groups, these experiences support BC Parks’ inclusion goals by creating opportunities for people who may not otherwise access parks to participate in ways that reflect their needs, cultures, and lived experiences.

Last year, one 2025 Spark Grant recipient, Pacific Immigrant Resource Society (PIRS), brought more than 120 women and children to a BC Park, spending more than 700 hours outdoors over multiple trips. Many of the participants had been in Canada for less than a year.

“For many immigrant and refugee women we serve, access to nature is not always immediate, particularly in the early stages of settlement,” said Mariam Bouchoutrouch, Executive Director of Pacific Immigrant Resources Society (PIRS). “For 50 years, PIRS has supported women and their families as they build their lives in Canada. Opportunities like this create space for connection, wellbeing, and belonging, and Spark funding helps make these experiences possible.” 

That growing interest is reflected in this year’s record number of applications.

“People are getting out into parks, spending more time there, and coming back again and again,” said Andy Day, CEO of BC Parks Foundation. “We’re seeing communities build their own traditions in these places, leading walks, sharing knowledge, and creating connections that last. Some Spark Grant recipients are now pursuing green jobs. That’s how a culture of care grows. It’s good for people, and it’s good for parks.”

“Everyone in B.C. deserves to feel welcome in provincial parks and experience the many benefits of being in nature,” said Tamara Davidson, Minister of Environment and Parks. “Spark Grants help make that possible – opening the door to inclusive, community-led park experiences that can truly be life-changing. This is another example of the many meaningful initiatives being supported by funding from the BC Parks Licence Plate Program.”

This year’s recipients include community groups from across the province, each leading their own projects to bring people into BC Parks through community-led experiences. 

Since launching, Spark Grants have supported more than 50 community groups and contributed to over 85,000 community science observations, supporting both participant wellbeing and ongoing stewardship of BC’s parks.

View our media kit with photos of past Spark-funded groups here.

2026 Spark Grant Recipients: 
Fort St. John Association for Community Living 
Indigenous Women Outdoors 
Kamloops Immigrant Services 
NatureKids BC 
Pacific Immigrant Resources Society 
Power to Be 
REACH Community Health Centre 
Squamish Newcomer Services 
YWCA

About BC Parks Foundation 

BC Parks Foundation proudly acts as the official charitable partner for British Columbia’s world class system of parks and conservation areas. We inspire and empower you to enjoy and conserve areas in BC, so that they flourish for now, for all, forever. 

bcparksfoundation.ca

About BC Parks Licence Plate Program

The BC Parks Licence Plate Program is a partnership between the Province of British Columbia and ICBC that lets drivers support parks and protected areas through the purchase and annual renewal of BC Parks speciality plates. As of March 2025, more than 552,000 BC Parks plates had been sold, generating more than $54 million in net revenue for park improvements and programs.

bcparks.ca/get-involved/buy-licence-plate/

Chelsea Rooney
BC Parks Foundation
(236) 477-2554 x 130
chelsea.rooney@bcparksfoundation.ca

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