Kananaskis Conservation Pass revenue brings in millions, area improvements underway: province
The government of Alberta says a Kananaskis Country user fee implemented in June is already having a positive impact on the area.
Alberta Parks Minister Jason Nixon says $10 million has been raised through the purchase of approximately 253,000 passes this year.
He says that money is going toward trail maintenance, waste management and facility upkeep in K-Country.
Nixon also says 20 conservation officers have been hired thanks to the Kananaskis Conservation Pass. Those officers focus on education and enforcement; two things the province says is needed as visits to the area spike.
The implementation of the pass was controversial when it was announced over the summer. Many in the area, which encompasses more than 4,000 square kilometres, agreed money was needed for upkeep and maintenance but critics worried not all of the revenue would be directed into the immediate space.
Nixon aimed to dispel those worries Monday. He says every dollar raised through passes has thus far been used for its intended purpose.
A government press release says about $15 million is being directed to improvements in Kananaskis Country including design upgrades to the Canmore Nordic Centre, modernizing William Watson Lodge and improving Yamnuska Trail.
As of June 1, all vehicles stopping in K-Country and the Bow Valley Corridor must have a pass.
They're available online for $15 per vehicle per day or a yearly pass may be purchased for $90.
Eventually, officers will enforce the change with fines of up to $150. Nixon says that hasn't happened yet, but that compliance this year is believed to be as high as 90 per cent.
The NDP's Environment and Parks critic Marlin Schmidt said in a statement that the UCP is being hypocritical and demonstrating a lack of self-awareness.
"As Albertans struggle to make ends meet as the cost of everything continues to go up, the UCP has imposed a fee on nature while spending billions of dollars on corporate handouts and millions on their failed War Room," it read.
"Just today, the UCP managed to find money for a 10 per cent raise for one of their MLAs while telling Albertans they don’t have enough money to protect our parks.
"Before coming to Albertans for more fees, the UCP needs to take a look at their priorities and get their fiscal house in order."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they're now named Scouting America
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Rape, terror and death at sea: How a boat carrying Rohingya children, women and men capsized
In March, Indonesian officials and local fishermen rescued 75 people from the overturned hull of a boat off the coast of Indonesia. Until now, little was known about why the boat capsized.
'A huge difference': These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
How Drake and Kendrick Lamar's rap beef escalated within weeks
A long-simmering feud between hip-hop superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar reached a boiling point in recent days as the pair traded increasingly personal insults on a succession of diss tracks. Here’s a quick overview of what’s behind the ongoing beef.
Whooping cough epidemic sweeps Europe, health agency says
European countries have reported a surge in whooping cough cases in 2023 and the first quarter of 2024, with 10 times as many identified as in each of the previous two years.