Premier Christy Clark, announced last week that the province will has finally approved a Family Day for B.C. residents. Family Day will now take place on the second Monday in February each year, beginning in 2013, when it will fall on February 11.
“Creating a Family Day in B.C. was an important priority for me,” said Clark during the announcement,
“Having our own unique day in B.C. creates distinctive opportunities for families and local businesses,” said Clark, “British Columbians will be able to enjoy all kinds of local attractions with fewer lineups and less out-of-town traffic.”
The decision to select the second Monday in February comes after government followed through on a commitment to consult with the public and private sectors, as well as hear from citizens directly.
The response from the public was outstanding with many unique and thoughtful points of view put forth.
Record numbers of British Columbians participated in online discussions by sharing their thoughts and registering their preference. The web poll component of the Family Day website gathered a total of 31,146 selections, along with 3,069 comments, with the choice of the second Monday registering a total of 18,202 selections, 9,436 selections for the third Monday, and 3,508 selections of no preference.
“The B.C. ski industry would like to thank the provincial government for how it has managed the Family Day consultation. We are very pleased with the outcome and we are confident that this decision will drive significant benefits for the tourism industry, the provincial economy and the people of British Columbia,” said David Lynn, president and CEO, Canada’s West Ski Areas Association.
“The announcement of Family Day is recognition of the diversity and hard work of families across the province. As an organization that supports families, the B.C. Association of Family Resource Programs applauds the provincial government for making this decision, which we believe will fortify family connections and build community,” said Sherry Sinclair, senior board member of the B.C. Association of Family Resource Programs.