Tribune Bay Park Addition

After almost two years of talking, learning and engaging about Tribune Bay Park and the proposed expansion, BC Parks is excited to share some updates!

During the engagement process, BC Parks heard how much people love visiting and camping at Tribune Bay, but that many would prefer a less crowded camping experience and that some improvements to the facilities would be appreciated. We also heard about issues with the capacity of the ferry system and congestion on the island as well as concerns about water use and water scarcity in the summer months. Professional assessments have highlighted the site’s cultural, ecological and hydrological features as key values for protection.

Considering the various opportunities and constraints of the newly-acquired properties, BC Parks has developed high-level management guidance for the addition of land and camping opportunities to Tribune Bay Park and a draft recreation site plan, that includes the following features:

• a variety of camping opportunities with improved facilities, using green building and universal design principles where possible;
• a similar overall number of campsites as offered previously;
• careful consideration of campsite size and placement to limit the disturbance of forested areas;
• reduced density of campsites in the existing campground by developing additional sites on the other lands;
• a number of walk-in/bike-in sites to minimize the footprint of campsites, and promote active, car-free transportation; and,
• a new connector trail through the forest providing safe access from the campground and community amenities to the beach.

You can now view the updated management strategies, by theme, which will form the foundation of the supplemental management guidance for Tribune Bay Park. The supplemental management guidance is intended to build on the guidance provided in the existing Master Plan for Tribune Bay Park. Please view the "Documents and Maps" section to the right, and then open the document titled Updated Management Strategies by Theme - October 2023.

The proposed recreation site plan outlines how the camping at Tribune Bay will be enhanced, and how the campsites and a connecting trail will be integrated into the park. To view the draft recreation site plan, which is a conceptual drawing of the proposed campground enhancements planned for Tribune Bay Park, please view the "Documents and Maps" section to the right, and then open the document titled Draft Tribune Bay Recreation Site Plan. And please note, this is an artist-rendered concept for the proposed layout; final site designs will be developed by landscape architects utilizing data from hydrological, ecological, archeological and tree health studies, and field-fit at the construction phase to further adapt to site constraints.

The results of the survey and on-island community engagement are summarized in a What We Heard report, also found under the Documents and Maps section on this page.

Background: In November 2021, the Province completed the purchase of two private properties on Hornby Island adjacent to Tribune Bay Park. The two properties were purchased with the goal of adding them to the park system to ensure recreational opportunities and other park values are protected in perpetuity.

Property A is the existing private Tribune Bay Campground, 3.25 hectares (8.03 acres) in size, which operated with approximately 135 campsites. The campground has been in continuous operation for decades.

Property B is a 6.35 hectare (15.7 acre) forested parcel that borders the existing park, featuring ~142m (465’) of beach frontage.

In addition, BC Parks is proposing to add the foreshore (area including the beach and a small marine area) in front of Property B to the park. Most of the foreshore in Tribune Bay is already within the park. BC Parks is considering adding this area to protect ecosystem values and to manage use so all visitors and campers can have a safe and enjoyable experience at Tribune Bay.

Adding the existing campground and the adjacent forested property to the park will help support and accommodate the growing public pressure for recreation and camping while managing for important values, including local use and nature appreciation.

The campground will not be fully integrated into the BC Parks system until consultation, engagement, planning and designation processes are complete. Tribune Bay Campground is currently operated by a private campground operator. Please refer to the Tribune Bay Campground website for up-to-date information on the campground and reservations.