Jasper鈥檚 unique and persistent problems may finally be getting heard in Ottawa.
A federal report recently published by the standing committee on environment and sustainable development, touched on several important issues facing the community, including the rub between development and protecting the environment, the municipality鈥檚 land rent agreement with Parks Canada and visitation.
The report noted that development and protecting the park鈥檚 ecological integrity each play an important role in Canada鈥檚 national parks, however the interpretation and implementation are varied and can cause conflicts.
鈥淓ssentially, one person鈥檚 use and enjoyment of a park can be another person鈥檚 impairment,鈥� the report stated.
The committee, chaired by MP Deborah Schulte, visited Jasper and Banff in September to hear first hand about what works and what doesn鈥檛 work in the mountain national parks.
Along the way the committee held private meetings with the municipality, environmental organizations, major businesses like Brewster, First Nations groups and Parks Canada officials.
The Committee also visited a number of attractions, such as the Banff gondola, Lake Louise Ski Resort, the Glacier Skywalk and the Jasper SkyTram.
鈥淚 think we took a balanced approach and I think we tried to help where we could, but we need to be really, really clear development is not our mandate,鈥� Schulte said in a follow up interview.
鈥淧arks are there for people to enjoy, but the whole reason to be there is to preserve the ecological integrity and biodiversity of Canada,鈥� said Schulte. 鈥淓cological integrity is the number one priority and all the decisions need to be made to ensure that is paramount.鈥�
During their trip she said she heard from a lot of people about the proposed Icefields Trail from Jasper to the Columbia Icefield.
鈥淚n our recommendations we make it clear that there needs to be a robust consultative process before any of these things get dealt with,鈥� said Schulte. 鈥淭o me getting it in the budget is the last step, not the first step.鈥�
She emphasized that the project is not a forgone conclusion and no final decisions have been made. She also said the idea was hatched by the previous Conservative government, although funding for it appeared in the Liberal government鈥檚 budget tabled in March 2016.
鈥淚t certainly wasn鈥檛 done with this government,鈥� said Schulte. 鈥淚 tried to find out more about it and we haven鈥檛 been able to get any clear answers about what happened there.鈥�
Visitation in Jasper and Banff National Parks was also touched on in the report.
The report stated 92 per cent of visitors get their park experience on hardened surfaces in the developed area of the park which makes up between one and four per cent of each park.
Taking this into account, the report noted that because the majority of visitors to Banff and Jasper spend most of their time in town and at a few popular attractions in the area it puts a great deal of pressure on the town鈥檚 infrastructure and services.
The report also notes that because visitor numbers far exceed resident populations it puts a strain on each town鈥檚 municipal tax base.
鈥淐ompounding this problem in the Town of Jasper is the federal land lease bill, which accounts for nine per cent of the municipal tax levy and is not returned to the town.鈥�
The report goes on to acknowledge that Jasper would like to have jurisdiction over land-use and development, which is currently controlled by the federal government.
鈥淭he town would like a transfer of this jurisdiction to allow it to make land-use plans locally, subject to the minister鈥檚 approval, as is the case in Banff. Jasper would like to be treated equally to Banff with the same municipal powers and responsibilities.鈥�
Schulte said she heard the municipality鈥檚 concerns loud and clear, but said it鈥檚 an issue that will have to be worked out between the municipality and Parks Canada.
鈥淲hat we said was we felt they should probably have some flexibility with Parks Canada so that everything doesn鈥檛 have to be micromanaged as long as they stay within the rules,鈥� said Schulte.
Paul Clarke
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