‘Lot of fun things’ in $40M plan for Bighorn Country
But UCP says proposal for new parks is ‘out of touch’ with economic reality
EDMONTON A $40-million plan for Bighorn Country in western Alberta includes launching new provincial parks and revitalizing existing areas to thrill outdoor enthusiasts.
The proposal includes one wildland provincial park — an undeveloped area with trails and backcountry campsites aimed at minimizing human impact on the landscape. It also includes three provincial parks and four recreation areas with more facilities.
“It fully respects the rights of landowners and industry commitments while also incorporating traditional Indigenous use,” said Premier Rachel Notley at a Friday news conference held at the University of Alberta’s climbing wall.
“It includes lots of fun things to do,” she added, referring to offhighway vehicle use, snowmobile trails, cross-country skiing, hunting, fishing and hiking.
The $40-million in funding will be spread over five years for operations and capital infrastructure.
The plan also includes two public land use zones, which wouldn’t fall under the authority of Alberta Parks.
Bighorn Country, nestled between Jasper and Banff National Parks, includes the headwaters of the North Saskatchewan River and Red Deer River, which supply drinking water. The area sits near Nordegg, about 170 kilometres west of Edmonton.
The overhaul would refurbish 240 existing campsites and construct an additional 150 campsites along with parking lots, trails and staging areas.
UCP house leader Jason Nixon said the plan is “completely out of touch” with the province’s economic state.
“We all agree with protecting the environment, but this NDP government has been all too willing to sacrifice jobs for their own ideological goals,” he said in a statement.
Notley compared the proposal to the creation of Kananaskis Country under former Alberta premier Peter Lougheed in the 1970s.
Environment and Parks Minister Shannon Phillips said existing grazing leases will be honoured. “This particular plan doesn’t contain within it any reduction in trails ... what this does is just add to existing infrastructure or places where we know infrastructure is required,” she said.
The province is open to Indigenous co-management, Phillips said, adding she has meetings planned with three First Nations chiefs. “Obviously every landscape is different and every nation is different in terms of what they’re looking for.”
That means protecting sacred sites, and providing opportunities for tourism and employment, she said.
The new wildland and provincial parks count toward Canada’s commitment under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity to protect 17 per cent of its land and fresh water by 2020, she noted.
No federal funding has been promised for the creation of Bighorn Country.
“We’ve asked, and like so many files they have not delivered or recognized Alberta’s leadership in this matter,” Phillips said.
On Friday, the province released an online survey to get public feedback on the plan before Jan. 31.
“It could be that some of the boundaries we haven’t got quite right,” Phillips said. “Maybe there are opportunities for other outdoor activities that we haven’t seen yet. Maybe there’s an ask for other kinds of infrastructure investments.”
For example, she heard from a group asking for accessible trails and fishing areas for people with disabilities. “That’s not in the plan yet, and that was a good point.”
Conservationists praised the plan for protecting grizzly bears, bull trout, and both limber pine and whitebark pine.
“This protection conserves headwaters, the source of drinking water for millions of people downstream in Edmonton and other communities,” said Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative spokesperson Hilary Young in a statement.
Gord Thorpe, an outdoor education teacher at Londonderry School in Edmonton, said he has brought junior high students out to the area since 2010 to teach them about conservation and nature.
“I really believe kids have to have an emotional connection to the outdoors before they really care about it,” he said, adding his students do ridge walks and whitewater canoeing in the region.
“It’s an area of the province that has everything,” he said. “Absolutely stunning country.”
Thorpe said he deeply cares about the outdoors and believes the Bighorn region has been neglected.
“Getting a balanced approach to a park system is really the way to go,” he said.
Priorities under the Bighorn Country proposal —
Bighorn Wildland Provincial Park: high-quality hunting, fishing and designated trails for equestrian and off-highway vehicle use.
Snow Creek Provincial Recreation Area: minor expansion and potentially a ski trail system and snowmobile staging area.
Kiska-Willson Public Land Use Zone: maintains a network of trails for motorized and non-motorized use and includes the exploration of resource development.
West Country Public Land Use Zone: new trails and staging areas as well as continued industrial permits.
Bighorn Dam Provincial Recreation Area: trails, staging areas and campground as well as trails for offhighway vehicles and snowmobiles.
Hummingbird Provincial Recreation Area: campground and staging area to access the Bighorn Wildland Provincial Park or KiskaWillson Public Land Use Zone.
Shunda Provincial Recreation Area: consolidates Fish Lake and Goldeye Lake Provincial Recreation Areas.
The David Thompson Provincial Park: incorporates the Thompson Creek and Kootenay Plains Provincial Recreation Areas and the Kootenay Plains Ecological Reserve; connects visitors with the wildland provincial park.
North Saskatchewan River Provincial Park: aims to protect natural landscapes and includes waterbased recreation, hiking, mountain biking and equestrian opportunities.
Ya Ha Tinda Provincial Park: staging area for the wildland provincial park.