Permits and Business Licences 1

While the ACMG’s BC Park Use Permit allows commercial guiding in 26 provincial parks and protected areas, the province of British Columbia has over 1,000 provincial parks, conservancies, ecological reserves and protected areas. Contact BC Parks to submit a permit application for parks not included in the ACMG BC Park Use Permit.

The ACMG BC Park Use Permit allows commercial guiding in the following 26 provincial parks and protected areas:

• Babine Mountains Park
• Blackcomb Glacier Park
• Bugaboo Park
• Burnie Shea Park
• Cathedral Park
• E.C. Manning Park
• Elk Lakes Park
• Garibaldi Park
• Hamber Park
• Height of the Rockies Park
• Joffre Lakes Park
• Kokanee Glacier Park
• Marble Canyon Park
• Mount Assiniboine Park
• Mount Edziza Park
• Mount Robson Park
• Murrin Park
• Nlhaxten/Cerise Creek Conservancy
• Shannon Falls Park
• Stagleap Park
• Skaha Bluffs Park
• Stawamus Chief Park
• Strathcona Park
• Tantalus Park
• Valhalla Park
• West Arm Park

The Smoke Bluffs area in Squamish, B.C. is not part of this permit. A Squamish municipal business licence may be needed to work there. Contact District of Squamish at 604-815-5014.

Permitted guiding activities and guide client ratios vary depending on the BC provincial park and include alpine climbing, ice climbing, rock climbing, ski mountaineering, avalanche safety instruction, day hiking, snowshoeing, backpacking and trail running. Refer to Schedule A of the ACMG’s BC Park Use Permit for area maps and Schedule B and the Special Provisions section at the end of the permit for detailed information on permitted activities and guide to client ratios in each park. The Special Provisions on pages 52-62 of the permit must be reviewed and followed.

First Aid Certification

To participate in the ACMG Provincial Parks Permit Program, you must hold a valid first aid certificate that:

• Is from an ACMG accredited first aid course provider
• Is for a first aid course that is appropriate for the member’s ACMG certification

Commercial General Liability (CGL) Insurance

To participate in the ACMG Provincial Parks Permit Program, you must have Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance. Your CGL insurance policy must provide coverage in the amount of not less than $2,000,000 inclusive per occurrence, insuring against liability for personal injury, bodily injury (including death) and property damage, including coverage for all accidents or occurrences. Your CGL insurance policy must include cross liability, liability assumed under contract, and a provision to provide 30 days advance notice to the ACMG of adverse material change or cancellation. If a claim has caused your CGL insurance policy to reach its aggregate limit, you will need to purchase additional coverage to maintain coverage in the amount of not less than $2,000,000 inclusive per occurrence during the permit period. You will need to provide a copy of your CGL insurance policy.

Certificate of Insurance naming the ACMG as an Additional Insured

Your insurer will need to provide a Certificate of Insurance naming the ACMG as an Additional Insured. The Association of Canadian Mountain Guides, Box 8341, Canmore, Alberta, Canada T1W 2V1, must be named as Additional Insured on a Certificate of Insurance under your CGL insurance policy using the following specific language:

“The Association of Canadian Mountain Guides and their directors, officers, employees, volunteers, guides, agents, independent contractors, representatives, successors, assigns and all those in law for whom they are responsible are added as Additional Insured’s, in respect only to the operations of the Named Insured. This Additional Insured status will be primary insurance over any other insurance available to the Additional Insured’s. Waiver of Subrogation is provided for all of the foregoing.”

Certificate of Insurance issued to the Province of British Columbia

Your insurer will need to provide a Certificate of Insurance issued to the Province of British Columbia if you purchase an ACMG BC Parks permit. British Columbia Parks requires that this Certificate of Insurance be completed, keeping all the information in Part 1 of the form intact.

Release of Liability, Waiver of Claims, Assumption of Risks, and Indemnity Agreement (Waiver Agreement)

A Release of Liability, Waiver of Claims, Assumption of Risks, and Indemnity Agreement (Waiver Agreement) is a legally binding agreement that releases those named on your Waiver Agreement (Releasees) from liability for injuries and damage to other people or property, even in the case of negligence on the part of the Releasees. The use of Waiver Agreements is standard practice in the guiding industry in Canada. However, you will want to confirm with your liability insurance provider and legal counsel what waiver requirements are imposed under your policy and legal jurisdiction. The ACMG must be included as a Releasee on any Waiver Agreement.

Contact the ACMG at [email protected] if you have any questions.

As a result of the competitive needs, the British Columbia provincial government under the Ministry of Water, Land and Resources Stewardship maintains a system of land use authorization that provides for commercial operations (forestry, mining, adventure tourism and others) to work in ways that minimized the potential conflicts. The British Columbia Adventure Land Use and Tourism (Commercial Recreation) Policy describes the different options available to operators to obtain Land Act authorization to access Crown land for commercial recreation.

Leases and Licences of Occupation

Tenure is the common term used to describe the forms of authorization (Leases and Licences of Occupation) that apply to a specific polygon of land. Leases are used when there is a requirement for significant development in what’s known as the Intensive Use area. These would apply to lodges and large base camp-type operations, and use of the area is exclusive to the holder of the lease. The Adventure Tourism Policy specifies that a lease is the recommended form of tenure for a base camp lodge. Licences of Occupation are the standard way that commercial recreation guiding businesses obtain non-exclusive authorization to access Crown land. These may include an Intensive Use area (base camp with limited infrastructure) or, more commonly, an Extensive Use area (the polygon of land surrounding the centre of operations or comprising the entire tenure). Licences of Occupation are non-exclusive, allowing entry for members of the public and other commercial operators. Land managers use a matrix to determine whether tenures can overlap without causing significant conflict among the various licensees. If there is an area of B.C. Crown Land that you like to use on a regular basis for adventure guiding, you should apply for a Licence of Occupation.

Incidental Use

Appendix 1 on page 37 of the Adventure Tourism Policy describes ‘Incidental Use’ and outlines specific provisions that allow commercial hiking, ski and alpine guiding activities on BC Crown Land by ACMG members without a tenure. Its purpose is to provide access to Crown Land on an occasional and dispersed basis without having to go through the in-depth process and cost of applying for and managing a tenure. This is because the nature of their work means they often guide in a variety of different locations for short periods of time with virtually no impact. ACMG members are able to choose where they operate on B.C. Crown Land as long as their activities meet a series of limiting criteria. Some of these criteria are clearly laid out in the policy, while some may require further guidance.

Guidelines for access under Incidental Use:

• There is no limit to the number of calendar days per year you can access BC Crown Land under Incidental Use; however, you may only remain in one area for a maximum of 14 consecutive days.
• Education or training activities can be no more than three consecutive days in length and can occur with a maximum of 21 days total in a calendar year.
• Group size is limited to 15 participants.
• There is no fee and no required reporting.
• You must notify existing tenure holders in writing at least 14 days in advance of your intention to guide in their tenure.
• Although their permission is not required because their use of the area is not exclusive, you must ensure that your Incidental Use does not negatively impact their operations.
• If there are substantive concerns raised with the provincial government related to an Incidental Use activity (e.g. unfair competition issues raised by the overlapping Tenure holder), the ACMG member may be directed to cease the Incidental Use activities and apply for a Licence of Occupation for an Extensive Use Area under the policy.
• If the local land management district supervisors and compliance officers choose to manage Incidental Use in a specific manner (e.g. to proactively address First Nation or public recreational user concerns), the local land management office has the sole discretion to direct the ACMG member to cease the Incidental Use activities.
• Motorized vehicles may only be used for access and egress. There use must not be a foundational part of the guiding activity or used as a regular mechanism to transport clients for the service offered (e.g. heli-assisted guiding or ski touring).
• If motorized access is foundational to the activity, an application must be made for a License of Occupation for an Extensive Use Area under the policy.
• Public recreation/tourism areas and trails should be avoided, including remote areas that contain a key recreation resource feature, such as a sand beach, waterfall, hotspring etc.
• Environmentally sensitive wildlife habitat areas must be avoided, especially those with mountain caribou and mountain goats.

In September 2022, Parks Canada transitioned from the ACMG’s group National Parks Guided Business Licence (NPGBL) to individual NPGBLs. ACMG members are now required to apply for their own NPGBL. In response to this change the ACMG Access Committee formed a NPGBL Working Group to gather these resources to assist members in applying for their NPGBL. For the most current information and requirements in applying for a NPGBL contact:

Chelan Egilson

Guided Business Liaison, Mountain Parks

Parks Canada, Government of Canada

P.O. Box 10, Jasper AB  T0E 1E0

[email protected] / Tel: 780-820-0665

https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ab/jasper/gestion-management/permis-permits/licence/guides

Contact Kluane National Park for information on guiding Mt. Logan or other areas in the park.

Contact Parks Canada for Information on guiding custodial groups within National Parks with clients under the age of 18 years.

Contact the Alpine Club of Canada for hut bookings within the National Parks.

In 2024, Glacier National Park simplified the permit process for guided groups. Guides can now obtain a blanket, season-long permit. However, they must submit a list of clients’ names for the day before each trip to comply with the new requirements. This change follows feedback from the guiding community to make the process more efficient. WRA guided group permit application packages are available here or by contacting Parks Canada at [email protected] or 250-837-7500.

Guides planning to enter a Glacier National Park in the Rogers Pass WRA with clients must:

• Apply for a blanket Glacier National Park in the Rogers Pass WRA guided group permit covering their clients under their winter permit for the season, or;
• Ensure that they, and all their clients, have a valid daily or annual winter permit.

Additional information on the Glacier National Park Rogers Pass WRA permit system can be found here.

All guides that are planning to operate in Glacier National Park in the Rogers Pass Winter Restricted Area (WRA) during the winter must also:

• Hold a valid National Park Business License, and;
• Display a valid national park pass, vehicle work permit, or commercial business pass while guiding clients. Guides visiting the park in their personal time can not use a vehicle work permit or commercial business pass and must display a valid national park pass in their vehicle.