Divestment plan draws environmental criticism
Confusion and the spread of “misinformation” around the provincial government’s decision to close or “transfer ownership” of 175 parks across the province has one organization highlighting what they say are inconsistencies in the plan and its messaging.
The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) has been fact-checking the UCP government on its website and Twitter this week to illustrate the possible consequences of the “Rightsizing Alberta Parks” project.
In documents obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOIP) request, CPAWS learned the proposed “divesting” of some sites could eventually lead to their sale by industry or commercial organizations, despite Alberta Environment and Parks vehemently denying any parks will be sold.
Katie Morrison, southern Alberta chapter conservation director for CPAWS, said one of the biggest worries is that once the sites are deregulated and divested, there will be no formal body overseeing the area’s conservation needs.
“Whether they intend to sell these parks right away or whether it’s down the line once everyone has forgotten they were ever parks, that’s part of the big risk once they lose their protected area status,” Morrison said. “When they stay as a protected area, that is not a possibility, nor is it a possibility that other big commercial or big industrial uses can happen in those areas. But once that protected status is removed, anything could happen.”
Within the FOIP documents, plans are laid out for how to determine which sites will be kept and managed by Alberta Parks, including conservation needs, visitation numbers, recreational diversity and opportunity for growth, among others.
The documents show a goal of saving $5 million in the 2020 budget and $12 million in the 2021 budget, but note there is “insufficient
data to determine budgetary impacts or recommendations.”
They note there will be “some reduction in operating/capital costs,” but there is a “potential loss of some revenue” and that “divestment comes with a price tag. i.e. capital grant, operating subsidy.”
Morrison said a lack of consultation was another red flag.
“The fact that a government that ran on a platform of transparency on public land use issues chose to remove the protected status of about 37 per cent of all our parks in the province without consultation, without talking to Albertans about how they value or use these places, I think is really concerning.”
As part of the government’s “advice to cabinet” section of the FOIP documents, it said there are “expected to be concerns” about the scope and scale of changes to the parks system as well as among Indigenous communities, who “may express concerns about potential impacts to their treaty rights.”
“As recommended by MO (minister’s office) and communications, recommended option is to not do consultation,” it reads, adding there would be a public announcement with a map and list of sites, and Indigenous consultation “as required.”
“Government continues to seek partnerships with municipalities, non-profits, Indigenous communities and others to manage these sites for Albertans’ responsible recreation and enjoyment,” John Muir, with Alberta Environment and Parks, said in an emailed statement. “Sites that don’t secure partnerships will still be accessible to the public.”
Morrison said CPAWS has been conducting virtual town halls, launched a letter writing initiative on its website and recently started a lawn sign campaign to “defend Alberta Parks.”
“It’s really clear that this is an issue that Albertans are really interested in and not just going to let go.”