Province rejects private wilderness camp in East Sooke Regional Park

By Darron Kloster
Victoria Times Colonist
August 21, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

The province has rejected a ­leasing application by a private wilderness survival school ­operator to set up camp within East Sooke Regional Park. Vitaliy Svetlichnyy, owner of One With Nature outdoor survival school, had applied two years ago to lease a 71-hectare parcel of Crown land inside the borders of East Sooke Park to build and operate his school. The proposal included an intensive-use area of about five hectares for several permanent structures … and a dock on the waterfront and storage buildings. Svetlichnyy was asking for a lease of 10 to 30 years on the land and foreshore, but his proposals caused a widespread outcry from local government and the public who said private operators should not be allowed in parks. In his decision, Peter Warbuton, senior licensed authorizations officer for the province, said the proposed long-term commercial use, infrastructure development and exclusive occupation were incompatible with the ­existing conservation, recreation and stewardship objectives of the area.

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