A Vancouver resident has raised alarm over a trend where individuals are acquiring complimentary day passes for the popular Pipi7íyekw/Joffre Lakes Park and then reselling them for profit online. Ghazaleh Akhoundi expressed her concerns, stating that the situation seems unjust.
Joffre Lakes Park, situated in British Columbia’s Sea-to-Sky region, attracted nearly 200,000 visitors in 2019. The provincial government introduced a mandatory day-use pass program during the COVID-19 pandemic, which remained in effect due to its success in mitigating environmental harm and congestion. The passes are released at 7 a.m., 48 hours prior to the desired date, with a daily cap of 500 visitors.
Akhoundi, an avid hiker, noticed the ticket flipping phenomenon after struggling to secure passes for multiple dates, despite logging in promptly at 7 a.m. She encountered users in outdoor Facebook groups advertising multiple passes for sale, leading her to discover a pattern of reselling activities.
Upon contacting a pass seller who offered passes for $40, Akhoundi chose not to make a purchase. CBC News attempted to reach out to the seller but received no response. The Facebook group involved, named Joffre Lakes and Garabaldi Provincial Park – Pass Assistance BC, primarily features posts from a single user known as “Oneclick pass,” offering day passes without mentioning monetary transactions.
Akhoundi noted similar occurrences in other Facebook groups and emphasized the need for governmental intervention to address the issue. She highlighted the lack of monitoring, allowing passes to be obtained under any name and freely exchanged for money, without oversight.
The park, located on the traditional lands of the Líl̓wat Nation and N’Quatqua First Nation, holds cultural and spiritual significance for the Indigenous communities. Lil’Wat Nation Political Chief Dean Nelson emphasized the importance of safeguarding the natural and cultural heritage of their territory.
In response to the irregular booking patterns, the Ministry of Environment and Parks revealed an ongoing investigation into potential bot-driven booking activities that surpass the permitted pass limits. The ministry acknowledged concerns about pass reselling and pledged to enhance the reservation system for fair access. Any suspected illegal commercial operations within the park will be subject to investigation and appropriate actions by B.C. Parks.
Akhoundi criticized the practice of ticket flipping, arguing that it deprives genuine park visitors of their entitlement. She suggested that if any fees were to be imposed, they should be managed by the province to support park maintenance. Akhoundi stressed the need for collective responsibility in preserving the park for the enjoyment of all visitors.