Question 1

>Will the BBTA take over management or make changes to existing unsanctioned trails?

Accepted Answer

No, the BBTA will only maintain trails located on land managed by the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) and will not interfere with existing unsanctioned trails.

We will not take over any unsanctioned trails without clear consent from the landowners, the existing trail builder or steward, and community support.

Our focus is on creating and maintaining our own network of sanctioned trails in collaboration with the community.

Unsanctioned trails will remain unchanged unless they go through a formal process involving the community.

Question 2

> I’m a community resident, will this bring more people and traffic to our community?

Accepted Answer

Britannia is in a developing area, and we aim to manage the increased foot traffic that will accompany this growth. We want to prevent tourists and newcomers from accidentally straying off-route and onto private property.  We are here to manage growth!
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Having an active trails association in our community will lead to more trails, better maintained trails and better amenities to support the trails. This will undoubtedly invite more people to be curious about the trails Britannia has to offer. ​
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A quick look around the obvious spots in the summer will see plenty of visitors parked up to enjoy what Britannia has to offer.
The community recently grew a small amount with the new townhouse complex. There is going to be a massive increase in people stopping in Britannia with the reinvention of the town area and 1000 homes are coming around the corner. 
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We want to help make sure that the community isn’t watching these changes from the sidelines, but rather leading the dialogue and guiding the improvements.

Question 3

>How does the BBTA engage with the community to propose, gather feedback, and approve new trail projects?

Accepted Answer

As the BBTA (Britannia Beach Trails Association) operates at the heart of the vibrant Britannia Beach community, it is essential that new trail projects have the support of local residents. While the benefits of welcoming recreation enthusiasts from surrounding areas are clear, it is the local community that guides the area’s development.

Keeping the Trails Association as a separate entity from the Community Association helps us focus on one core topic: trails. It also allows us to more easily generate revenue, through grants specifically aimed at trails associations, which is then reinvested in the community.

To ensure we work closely with the community, we’ve created a transparent process for communicating, discussing, and approving new projects:

Projects are classified as either minor or major. Regardless of the project's scope, all BBTA proposals will be communicated to the community via both the Trails Association website and the Community Association's Facebook page.

Anyone is welcome to provide feedback or ask questions. All feedback and questions will be posted on the project website for transparency.

If a minor project is well received without objections, we will proceed with planning and implementation.

If a minor project receives objections or requires detailed clarification, it will be brought to a town hall meeting. This meeting, co-chaired by both the Community Association and Trails Association, will allow for in-depth discussions. At the end of the meeting, only Britannia Beach residents will vote on the project.

Major projects will follow the same townhall process by default.

We believe that this clear, democratic process is vital to managing a trails network in close proximity to an active community.

Question 4

> So if I join, what do I actually get out of it?

Accepted Answer

We are a trails association based right in the heart of a small and independent community. We hope that everyone who uses the trails in our community will join us, and that others who are already coming here will help us to manage the trails that they are using in our community.​
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Joining our association will directly help fund our initial efforts! At this stage, we view it like a Kickstarter campaign. We are looking to raise funds to cover basic operating costs and then mobilize as many volunteers as possible to get things moving!
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Significant financial support will come from becoming an active, well-managed association. This will enable us to engage with local government and other grant-providing organizations. However, we need dedicated individuals to handle the administrative tasks of planning, applying, and project managing. That's where we come in.

Question 5

>How can I get involved?

Accepted Answer

Become a member here! Come join a dig night! Enjoy using the trails!
​​​​Keep an eye out on Instagram, Facebook and via member emails for call outs for volunteer work parties.

Question 6

> Why hiking, running and biking?

Accepted Answer

We believe that the resources of our community need to be shared between everyone, no matter what your passions.
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We are also aware from many years experience that one trail doesn’t fit all, and conflicts can occur between the different users group requirements.
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By committing ourselves to these user groups we hope to help everyone share the trails, and have the trails they want.

Question 7

> So BBTA is here for trails, is that trials biking too?

Accepted Answer

Britannia has a vibrant trials community already, while we would love to engage with trials biking groups to make sure we all play nice, we do not at this time expect to be involved with any trials trails in the community. Nor do we plan to encroach upon or modify any existing trails biking trails. We respect the rich history that the trails community represents.
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We aim to focus our efforts on hiking and biking trails. We feel that these are the areas which are currently less managed, and which often come into conflict with each other. – what better way to manage this than to have both keen mountain bikers, trail runners, and hikers all working together.

Question 8

What insurance does the BBTA hold?

Accepted Answer

The BBTA holds the following insurance coverage:

$5,000,000 Commercial Liability for land grading (excluding road construction, excavation, blasting, or collapse)
$5,000,000 for bodily injury and property damage
$1,000,000 for staff injury
Tenancy liability, non-owned vehicle liability, and damage to vehicles
$1,000,000 pollution liability
$250,000 for forest firefighting expenses

Question 9

> So where do I park to try out some trails?

Accepted Answer

BBTA does not yet have any officially maintained parking, and Britannia Beach is somewhat limited in its parking resources.
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One key thing to say is, if you visit us to ride then please be respectful of the residents. Britannia has a very interesting history, which has created a fiercely independent tight knit community. The backing of the community is critical to the success of a trails network in our area, so your help when visiting is essential.
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Please park responsibly and legally within our community as we work to be able to secure more long term solutions to increased parking options.

Question 10

>What are the rules for access and trail building on different types of land in Britannia Beach?

Accepted Answer

Crown Land: Trail building without a permit is strictly prohibited. This includes any ground disturbance, maintenance, or structure building (e.g., bridges). Recreation and travel on Crown Land are permitted.

Private Property: Trail building is allowed with the landowner's consent. Once trails are established, landowners have a legal Duty of Care to maintain safety on their property.

Municipal Land: These are Crown Lands managed by local government, and similar rules to Crown Land apply. Any new trails built on Crown land (public property), needs to be approved and or sanctioned by the recreation officer.

Question 11

How does access to mine land work, and what are the rights for trail use on these properties?

Accepted Answer

Currently, no formal agreement has been made with the ministry responsible for restricted Crown properties, which includes the mine land south of Britannia Creek.

Access to this land is only allowed for official maintenance purposes, and recreational use is not legally permitted on these parcels at this time.

BBTA will continue to work toward agreements for managed access where appropriate.

Question 12

> What did we miss?

Accepted Answer

If you have ANY other questions, please direct them at BBTA.info@gmail.com, we will be glad to personal answer them, and then if appropriate add the details to the FAQ for the rest of the community.

Frequently Asked Questions