BC Parks Foundation
Support MIST for 2024
Thank you for keeping the magic of parks alive!
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Donate a Car Canada accepts Vehicle Donations for the BC Parks Foundation. Free towing is provided in most areas across Canada, or you can drop off your vehicle to maximize your donation. When you donate your car, truck, RV, boat, or motorcycle to the BC Parks Foundation through Donate A Car Canada, it will either be recycled or sold at auction (depending on its condition, age and location). Donate a Car Canada will look after all the details to make it easy for the BC Parks Foundation to benefit. After your vehicle donation is complete, Canada Helps will send you a tax receipt and remit proceeds to BC Parks Foundation to be put to good use. Please click here to donate a vehicle.
Note that Canada Revenue Agency doesn’t allow charitable gift receipts for services.
Including real estate or publicly traded securities as a charitable gift to the BC Parks Foundation in your will is also a great way to leave a legacy. For your consideration, sample wording for your will could include, "I wish to make a gift to BC Parks Foundation of 625 Howe Street, Suite 1550, Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 2T6, charitable registration number 731307492BW0001, as follows:
(i) select from publicly traded securities that I own, if any, at the date of my death, securities (the “Gift Shares”) that collectively have a total fair market value as of the date of my death of not more than $____ (the “Donation Amount”) and transfer the Gift Shares to the BC Parks Foundation;
(ii) if the value of the Gift Shares is less than the Donation Amount, pay the BC Parks Foundation an amount equal to the difference between the Donation Amount and the value of the Gift Shares; and
(iii) it is my hope that the Donation Amount will be applied by the BC Parks Foundation to support the work of the BC Parks Foundation."
Please contact us if you would like to discuss including a legacy gift, real estate, or securities in your will. You can use the form below, email gifts@bcparksfoundation.ca, or call 604-343-3975.
Other ways you can help enhance BC’s world-class parks system
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Birds of a Feather Flock Together: Donate to the Mitlenatch Island Stewardship Team
The Mitlenatch Island Stewardship Team (MIST), a volunteer organization, was formed in 2010 to support BC Park’s mandate to provide protection for Mitlenatch Island. A large part of the organization’s focus is to maintain the volunteer warden program, which is crucial for visitation and conservation of the island. Approximately 70 to 80 volunteers are stewards on Mitlenatch each year, some of who have been involved since the 1960s.
It costs over $12,000 / year to run the MIST program, not including volunteer time and personal transportation.
The wardens protect the nesting birds, contribute to scientific monitoring programs and ensure visitors don’t encroach on protected areas and damage the ecosystem. While on Mitlenatch, wardens contribute to eight scientific monitoring programs on the island: bird counts, beach bird survey, plant phenology, intertidal surveys, sea star syndrome surveys, eelgrass beds, cetacean and turtle sightings, and invasive species removal.
100% of donations go directly to protecting Mitlenatch Island through the activities of the volunteer warden program that assists BC Parks with the recreation management, ecological monitoring and conservation efforts.
Donations are used for:
- Trails, facilities, and structures, e.g., bird blind.
- Invasive plant and vegetation management.
- Data collection and research.
- Education and public awareness including local promotional material.
- Transportation of volunteers to and from the island.
- Participation in the development of management and operating plans.
- Helping subsidize volunteer costs for students, youth, and financially challenged volunteers.
The Important Bird Area (IBA) is also a Key Biodiversity Area (pending) and within a Rockfish Conservation Area. Along with nesting birds, the island is home to harbour seals, sea lions, river otters, snakes, marine life, meadow flowers, and frequented by porpoises, killer whales, and humpback whales.
Donate Now!
To support the work of MIST volunteers this year, funds need to be raised by April 30, 2024.
Other Payment Options:
In addition to credit card and EFT payments through the above form, we also accept cheque, wire, Paypal Giving, and donations of securities. For more information, please email gifts@bcparksfoundation.ca
About Mitlenatch Island Provincial Park:
Mitlenatch Island Nature Provincial Park is a small rocky island in the Salish Sea that is home to one of the seabird colonies in the Strait of Georgia. This nature reserve is an important nesting colony for thousands of Glaucous-winged Gulls, as well as Pelagic Cormorants, Pigeon Guillemots, Black Oystercatchers, and many other species of birds.
Tax receipts:
As BC Parks Foundation is a registered non-profit organization, all donations over $20 are eligible for a charitable tax receipt.
“BC's parks are living arks.
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