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Open Letter to the Alberta Government Regarding Park Closures

The Honourable Jason Nixon The Honourable Jason Kenney


Minister of Environment and Parks Premier
aep.minister@gov.ab.ca premier@gov.ab.ca

We, the undersigned, believe in the intrinsic natural value of Alberta’s Provincial Parks and natural spaces.
The beauty and vastness of Alberta’s wilderness has a unique ability to inspire, captivate and heal. Spending
time in nature is good for the body, mind and soul.
We believe public lands and parks should be protected, celebrated, accessible and affordable for all to enjoy.
As such, we disagree with the Alberta Government’s decision to ‘optimize’ Alberta’s Parks by closing or
partially closing 20 parks and seeking partnerships for 164 sites, with no public consultation. These spaces
belong to all Albertans and to the Indigenous peoples who were the caretakers of this land long before
Alberta was a province of Canada. The people deserve to have a say in how these natural spaces are
managed, protected and celebrated.
One of the government’s objectives to help ease our dependence on the oil and gas sector is to increase
tourism. We have great potential in this area considering the incredible natural habitat we enjoy in Alberta,
and this decision to reduce access to that habitat seems counter-productive to reaching that goal. The upside
is not only promoting our province to outside tourists but motivating Albertans to make more use of the wild
spaces we have right here at home. There are many reasons to encourage people to travel more within
Alberta, including the economy and relatively weak dollar, along with security and health issues throughout
the world.
Hundreds of Alberta businesses depend on the economic benefits that access to Alberta Parks and natural
spaces create, from providing outdoor gear and recreational vehicles, to offering training, tours and
experiences. Closing or limiting these spaces will have a measurable negative impact on the health of these
businesses. The potential savings of $5 million from a budget in excess of $56 billion is negligible and will
have an impact on the quality of people’s lives that far exceeds the financial savings to taxpayers. It was
estimated in 2008 that hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts contributed $800 million to the Alberta
economy.
We urge Premier Jason Kenney and Minister of Environment and Parks Jason Nixon to reverse this decision
and undertake a comprehensive good faith public consultation with all relevant stakeholders before closing
any Alberta Parks or entering into any partnerships for Alberta’s parks and public sites. We pride ourselves on
our western heritage and the vast outdoor wilderness areas available to us. We encourage our government
to reconsider this relatively small investment to preserve these natural areas and provide recreational
opportunities valued by the vast majority of Albertans. Once they are lost, it will be a major challenge to
restore them.

Doug Dea Dave Johnston Aron Schilf,


General Manager President General Manager
Campers Village The Fishin' Hole Ltd. Track 'N Trail
780.509.2606 780.469.6630 780.432.1707
DDea@campers-village.com davej@thefishinhole.com aron@trackntrail.ca

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