BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA

Council of
BC YaCHT CLUBS

Advocating for Recreational Boaters

About the Council of BC Yacht Clubs

In January 1956, the first meeting of interested boating clubs was held in Nanaimo. It was then formally registered as British Columbia Non Profit Society in January 1980 representing the interests of boaters from more than 50 British Columbia boating organizations. We have representation on Provincial and Federal committees to provide and receive information pertinent to our recreational interests, and collaborate with like-minded outdoor organizations in BC and Washington State.  In 1990, at the request of BC Parks, we formed B.C. Marine Parks Forever Society to assist in funding land purchases to be added to the Marine Park System. We meet four times per year, alternating between the mainland and Vancouver Island.

Current Council Activities

Top Priorities

  • Gambier Island Official Community Plan
  • Southern Gulf Islands – Southeast Vancouver Island Advisory Group
  • Pender Harbour Dock Management Plan
  • Amendments to the Land Act

Search for news on these topics here:

Projects

The Council is working and supporting a variety of projects

… and more

Marine Parks Forever Society

The Marine Parks Forever Society is an all-volunteer registered non-profit founded by the Council of BC Yacht Clubs in 1990

We advocate for and financially support the creation, expansion or enhancement of BC Marine Parks.

We also execute special projects for boaters like the popular “stern-tie program”.

 

Recent Developments

  • “What we’ve heard” report

    The Province published today the summary of the comments that they received from 1700 pieces of correspondence with a commitment to incorporate some of our thinking in future iterations of the DMP.

  • BC Lands Act Amendments paused

    The BC government has decided not to proceed with their proposed Land Act amendments for this legislative session. This topic can, however, be revisited after this year’s election. See the Province’s press release here: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024WLRS0009-000236  

  • Amendments to the BC Land Act

    The Council of BC Yacht Clubs is concerned about how amendments of the British Columbia  Land Act by inclusion of Sec 7.1 of UNDRIP  will impact 15,000 recreational boaters ((see:  https://engage.gov.bc.ca/govtogetherbc/engagement/land-act-amendments/).  The Council has therefore sent letters to provincial ministers, MLA’s and some publications to raise our concerns, attached below, which describe our concerns in…

  • Pender Harbour Dock Management Plan – Council actions

    CBCYC has recently become aware of the initiative to amend the Pender Harbour Dock Management Plan (the “Plan”).  CBCYC has several concerns about the proposed amendments to the Plan and their impact on member organizations with facilities in Pender Harbour.  Furthermore, we understand that the proposed regulations build off regulations from other jurisdictions (e.g. Burrard…

Boating News

  • Volunteers spearhead ghost fishing gear clean-up in Pender Harbour

    On Tuesday March 19 and Wednesday March 20, the Pender Harbour and Area Residents Association (PHARA) in conjunction with SeaWolf Diving and the Ocean Legacy Foundation will be retrieving abandoned nets (also known as ghost gear) and other pollutants (batteries, plastic, etc) from the waters of kalpilin/Pender Harbour. This project was authorized by Fisheries and…

  • Canadian Navigable Waters Act legislative review

    Transport Canada is asking for feedback from recreational boaters along with the shipping industry on the reworked federal Navigable Waters Act. This is an opportunity to weigh in on restrictions to navigation, ‘unscheduled’ navigable waters and ‘minor works’ such as mooring buoy congestion. The feedback submission is open until May 5, 2024. https://tc.canada.ca/en/corporate-services/consultations/canadian-navigable-waters-act-legislative-review

  • Proposed National Marine Conservation Area Reserve on the Central Coast (NMCAR)

    The government of Canada, through Parks Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the province of British Columbia, and the Nations are collaboratively assessing the potential conservation benefits and socio-economic implications of establishing an NMCAR in the region. Engagement with each partnering First Nation’s elected and hereditary leadership, as well as broader community members is integral…

  • Salish Sea Symposium

    The 2024 Salish Sea Symposium (January 23-24, 2024) is organized by Transport Canada as an event held under the Oceans Protection Plan’s Salish Sea Strategy, which aims to establish a shared level of understanding of existing work across the Salish Sea. The theme of this event is “Building on our past, advancing our future”. The two days…

Council News

 

Yacht Club Job Postings

Let us know if your Yacht Club has open positions – we are happy to post them here.

Council Meetings

Our next meeting is on 

Saturday, September 19, 2026 via Zoom

Our meeting schedule for 2026 is

February  28, 2026          online via Zoom
May 16, 2026                   Nanaimo Yacht Club and via Zoom
September 19, 2026       online via Zoom
November 21, 2026        West Vancouver Yacht Club and via Zoom

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