The Bowen Island Conservancy has purchased 65 hectares of land at Cape Roger Curtis from Metro Vancouver.
Metro announced the news Friday in a press release, stating the sale was for $30.5 million. The land is part of a 97-hectare swath the organization purchased from the Cape on Bowen for $40 million last year. The acquisition leaves Metro with 32 hectares of land at the Cape.
"Metro Vancouver places great value on protecting important natural areas within our region to preserve healthy and resilient ecosystems,” said Metro Vancouver board of directors chair Mike Hurley in the release. “We were thrilled to be able to purchase the land at Cape Roger Curtis back in 2023 to protect this incredible place for the public. Our agreement to sell a portion of the property to the Bowen Island Conservancy aligns with our environmental goals, and will place a conservation covenant on the land to ensure that it is safeguarded for generations to come.”
The Conservancy had expressed interest in purchasing the land last year with the intent of protecting it while promoting conservation. They will now turn their sights to the best use of the space going forward.
“This land is one of the last undeveloped stretches of coastline between Point Roberts and Lund that is available for public use, and we are very pleased that the Bowen Island Conservancy is able to protect this rare place in perpetuity,” said Conservancy president Owen Plowman.
"For the Bowen Island community, there is a deep connection to this area: it isn’t just undeveloped land, but more like an old friend. Thanks to the support of our donors and volunteers, we’ve secured an important location with a unique habitat and set of species within the Átl'ka7tsem/Howe Sound Biosphere Region. Thoughtful, strategic planning will take time, but the end result will leave a rich legacy for Bowen Island and the entire biosphere region. It will be a lot of work for our group of volunteers, so for now we are simply taking a moment and celebrating," added Plowman.
Bowen Island Municipality also weighed in with a positive response to the deal. "We are thrilled at the Conservancy’s acquisition at Cape Roger Curtis — 65 hectares of land that will come under their care and stewardship for generations to come.” said Mayor Andrew Leonard. “I was happy to introduce the Conservancy to Metro Vancouver many months back, following the progress since, in service of balancing public use of those lands with strong protections for the sensitive ecosystems that exist there.”
“This seems like a logical extension of the Wild Coast Nature Reserve that borders this parcel of land, and we look forward to seeing the Conservancy’s plans for preserving and enhancing conservation in this treasured part of Bowen Island," added the mayor.
As a result of the sale, Metro also announced they would be abandoning their original plans for overnight camping at the Cape. They will be withdrawing their application to council, which passed first reading last year, and examining alternative options for their remaining land.
