B.C.’s Joffre Lakes Park closing for a month for recovery, First Nations’ practices

PEMBERTON, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA — British Columbia’s government says Joffre Lakes Park will shut for a month in about two weeks’ time, to allow it to “recover from a busy summer” and allow First Nations to carry out cultural practices.

It says the closure from Sept. 2 to Oct. 3 is also in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and will be the last of three closures this year.

The park’s operation has been contested by the Lil’wat and N’Quatqua First Nations, which temporarily shut access to the park in 2023 to assert title and rights to the territory.

A statement from the Ministry of Environment and Parks says the closure next month will “provide time and space for members of the Lil’wat Nation and N’Quatqua to reconnect with the land.”

The province says the nations requested additional closures, but the current schedule best balances cultural, conservation and public access needs, and ensures the park remains open during the Labour Day weekend.

The park was also closed on April 25 for three weeks, and for two weeks in June.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 19, 2025.