Jasper often likes to think of itself as a quiet, mountain town, blissfully living in coexistence with tourists, but the reality is Jasper is struggling to cope with the influx of tourists this summer and the cracks are beginning to show.
Nowhere is this more apparent than the number of people illegally camping in town.
Since June, bylaw officers have been handing out at least six tickets a day. In fact, the municipality has issued 262 tickets for illegally camping already this year compared to 137 tickets that were issued in total last year.
Park鈥檚 claims they haven鈥檛 seen an increase in illegal camping outside of the townsite, but it鈥檚 hard to imagine this is just a local issue, especially when you consider illegal camping is on the rise in Banff National Park.
The spike in illegal camping is a symptom of a much bigger issue鈥揓asper is full.
Hotels are full, campgrounds are booked solid and even the park鈥檚 overflow campgrounds are regularly at capacity, leaving few options for people other than sleeping rough on Jasper鈥檚 streets.
And that鈥檚 only one symptom鈥搕ake a look at Jasper鈥檚 highways and roads.
On several occasions this summer, traffic at the east gate has been backed up by up to forty minutes just to get into the park. Closer to town, traffic control personal have been hired on weekends to direct traffic at the intersection of Highway 16 and Maligne Lake Road just so people can get across the river in a safe and orderly manner.
In town, parking lots are at capacity and residential streets are clogged with parked cars.
In response, the municipality is considering making visitors pay for parking in municipal parking lots. A smart idea for a town that is strapped for cash, but it鈥檚 unlikely to resolve the underlying issue鈥搕he town needs more parking.
In fact, take a look at municipal taxes. Over the past five years property taxes have increase by approximately 20 per cent to cover the town鈥檚 aging infrastructure and services that must accommodate more than two million visitors annually.
This year alone, the municipality added three full-time positions, including a new deputy fire-chief, utilities manager and a maintenance worker. A clear sign the municipality needs more hands.
And if that鈥檚 not enough, the influx of tourists is also taking its toll on the very wildlife Parks Canada is trying to protect.
So far this year Parks Canada has already had to kill five elk and a black bear. The incidents can likely be attributed to the increase of people using Jasper鈥檚 trails and campgrounds.
All of this comes at a time when Parks Canada will begin offering free admission to Canada鈥檚 national parks and historic sites in 2017 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation.
What that will bring, no one is certain, but the real question is, can we handle it?
