The Liberal government has no plans to revisit the former Conservative government’s controversial approval of site guidelines that open the door for a major expansion at the Lake Louise ski hill – but that doesn’t mean anything is a done deal.
Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna, said Parks Canada will work with the Lake Louise ski resort under the approved site guidelines – a blueprint for development and use for the ski hill over the next 10 to 15 years.
“There are site guidelines for Lake Louise and no projects have been approved yet,” she she said following a funding announcement for Banff National Park last Thursday (March 17).
“Going forward, we’ll work under the site guidelines and work with Lake Louise.”
Minister McKenna’s mandate letter from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calls on her to protect national parks by limiting development within them and, where possible, work with nearby communities to help grow local eco-tourism industries and create jobs.
The former Conservative government approved the Lake Louise site guidelines on the August long weekend last year, on the eve of the call for the 2015 federal election.
Parks Canada conducted a three-week public comment period in June 2015, which drew approximately 1,200 letters. Eleven former Parks Canada managers, including high-ranking officials, voiced strong opposition to the guidelines.
The decision was made to approve the site guidelines with no substantial changes.
In exchange for large-scale development, the ski area guidelines for Lake Louise propose to reduce the area’s leasehold by 669 hectares, with the return of Wolverine Bowl, Purple Bowl and lands in the Whitehorn wildlife corridor to protected wilderness zones.
The guidelines also propose to allow development of new ski terrain outside the lease, including in West Bowl and Hidden Ridge. These areas are currently wilderness zones, never intended to be developed, and would be operated under a licence of occupation.
In addition, there would also be new ski terrain inside the current lease, but outside the current developed boundary, at Richardson’s Ridge, complete with a ski lift, ski runs and glading, and new ski terrain at West Juniper.
The guidelines also call for construction of a new lodge at the top of Whitehorn, where a summer sightseeing operation would be based. There is also consideration in the guidelines for an extension of summer hours.
Dan Markham, director of brand and communications for Lake Louise ski hill, said the operation is pleased the minister reaffirmed the site guidelines, noting they are continuing the process of developing the first phase of long-range plans.
He said the plans would be submitted to Parks Canada and go through another round of public consultations once completed and, if any modifications are required, they will make those changes accordingly.
“There will be feasibility studies and environmental assessments,” said Markham.
“It’s going to take months to even submit the first documents. There’s a lot of work that’s got to go into it.”
Tourism groups say it’s time to move forward.
“It’s very important that those of us that are lucky enough to live and work here value the contributions that our visitors and regional businesses make to our livelihoods,” said Casey Peirce, executive director for the Association for Mountain Parks Protection and Enjoyment (AMPPE).
“Banff is an incredible draw to international skiers and snowboarders. It’s all of our jobs to ensure they enjoy their stay and that we offer the most special experiences that we can.”
Peirce said AMPPE supports the process of government mandated scientific environmental studies that must be approved before any new projects are given the green light, and endorses this research and study to ensure the ecological integrity of parks.
“We also believe in the importance of the balance of ecological integrity with maintaining and improving the unique Banff National Park experience for the tourism industry that does so much to support our provincial and national economy,” she said.
Several environmental groups hope Minister McKenna acts on her mandate letter, with the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CWAPS) noting they are pleased the minster has repeatedly indicated ecological integrity is the top priority in management of parks.
“With this reaffirmation in mind, and with respect to the Lake Louise potential development, we would hope site guidelines would be revisited,” said Anne-Marie Syslak, executive director for the group’s southern Alberta chapter.
“We believe this proposed development, especially into untouched wilderness, directly contravenes this mandate.”
The next step for Lake Louise is development of a long-range plan, in which the ski hill would advance specific projects they are interested in taking on.
“The site guidelines are a framework for potential development so it’s not the last stand. They still have to get environmental approval,” said Syslak.
“I would hope at some stage in the process, this reaffirmation towards ecological integrity would hold up and some of the proposed development under consideration, based on ecological integrity as the first mandate, would not go forward as part of the long-range plan.”
For more, see page 26.
