At its January 24, 2025 meeting, the Cariboo Regional District (CRD) Board has rejected an application to permit a Heli Ski Lodge in the Bluff Lake – Middle Lake area. This proposal was presented to the Board for a possible second reading of a land use amendment bylaw and would have been referred for a formal public hearing if it had been approved. Because the application was rejected, no public hearing is required, and the application will be closed.
The applicant’s proposal was to change the land use designation under the CRD’s Chilcotin Area Rural Land Use Bylaw for 27 hectares of land. The land use would have been changed from Rural Residential and Resource / Agricultural to a Special Exception Commercial zone. The proposal would have facilitated development of a tourist commercial resort with plans to develop a lodge, several cabins, a spa, helipad, and support facilities.
During the meeting, Electoral Area J (West Chilcotin) Director Tolin Pare addressed the Board, stating that “the amount of correspondence that we have received and the number of people who reached out to me personally has been mind boggling. Residents, First Nations elders and leaders, and several Associations have all spoken against this proposal. I truly feel that I have given more than enough time to everyone with this file. I stated when I deferred this back in November 2024 that I would not go against the province on their recommendation.”
Importantly, the Province of B.C.’s Ministry of Water, Lands, and Resource Stewardship (WLRS) submitted information in October 2024 which detailed how the proposal would conflict with provincial wildlife conservation objectives for Mountain Goat habitat on nearby Crown Lands. WLRS reiterated these concerns in a submission made on December 12, 2024 after meeting with the applicant. The feedback from WLRS is consistent with the Province’s Chilcotin Sustainable Resource Management Plan.
Significant concerns have been raised by residents of the area, First Nations elders and leaders, and several associations representing parties interested in the area. A public information meeting in August 2024 saw 72 people attend to obtain information and provide comments on the application, with a majority objecting to the proposal. Written comments were also supplied to the CRD following the meeting. Opponents to the proposal indicated concerns about the proposed density of the development, its environmental impact, potential damage to archaeological sites, increased traffic, and the noise from more aircraft in the area.
The Board acknowledged the controversial nature of the application, along with the extensive work conducted by both the applicant and CRD planning staff to assess the proposal. CRD Planning Department representatives noted that a staff recommendation for rejection was made on the balance of public feedback, provincial recommendations, and the Chilcotin Sustainable Resource Management Plan. Clarification was also given that air traffic in the area is not subject to zoning regulations, however, the development of the tourist commercial resort is within the purview of the Board.
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