Controversial ski area guidelines for Lake Louise approved quietly before the federal election was called at the beginning of August are not currently being reconsidered by Parks Canada.
Parks Canada’s newest CEO, Daniel Watson, was on hand last week during the 18th annual Banff National Park planning forum and when asked specifically about the ski area guidelines, responded that no conversations or direction has yet been received from the minister’s office to review the decision to approve the guidelines.
Watson said the same process to develop and approve the ski area guidelines for Lake Louise was followed as was used for the other ski area guidelines approved so far – those for Norquay and Marmot Basin.
“Certainly there was a very robust process around it,” he said. “It was the same process that we followed on every other ski area that we have worked on so far, so I think it is fair to say there are no differences on that front.”
The public engagement process on the guidelines resulted in more then 1,200 letters. The guidelines represent a blueprint for future and potential development at the ski resort.
Eleven former Parks Canada managers also penned a letter to then federal environment minister Leona Aglukkak raising concerns about the guidelines, asking her to reconsider the expansion plan.
The plan sets out to reduce the leasehold of the resort by 669 hectares by returning undeveloped land to wilderness. However, in exchange, the ski hill would have an option to develop areas like the West Bowl, Hidden Bowl, Richardson’s Ridge and West Juniper under a licence of occupation. Ultimately, the changes would allow Lake Louise to accommodate up to 11,500 visitors daily, double what is currently allowed.
The federal election, however, saw a new government form under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who appointed Catherine McKenna as the new environment minister.
Watson said McKenna has not been briefed on the Lake Louise guidelines, but added it is still early days for the new minister.
“I think any time you are briefing a new minister … you have to go through a broad range of things and work through things on all those issues,” said the Parks CEO.
“It is not a topic we have had the opportunity to get into any detail on.”
