Hundreds of volunteers help by delivering signs, flyers and organizing Defend Alberta Parks. The UCP site features a two-question survey that asks for users' names, emails and postal codes. There may be a legal requirement in areas that have an existing regional land use plan, and possibly a requirement for indigenous consultation, but only 2 of the 7 regional plans have been completed across Alberta, and the government’s legal team decided they didn’t need to do indigenous consultation (according to the freedom of information request we received). While many of these sites were indeed created through the Special Places 2000 process, in posts from the Alberta Parks official Facebook page the current government has indicated that they don’t believe the creation of these sites were adequately funded by previous governments. We believe that they have had an impact! Donations are collected by the Alberta Environmental Network and go towards lawn signs, flyers and sharing the campaign across the province. Ultimately, elected officials hold the power to alter or reverse the. Your annual membership opens the door to additional participation opportunities in Alberta's NDP. Trail Reports. For many of these sites, it is unlikely there will be a substantial impact on species due to their relatively small size. Keep an eye out for updates! 2 min read. It included fully or partially closing 20 parks or recreation areas, and delisting another 164 sites in hopes third parties like non-profit groups, Indigenous organizations or municipalities could take over management. In March when the original plan was released, Environment Minister Jason Nixon said the province could no longer afford the “retail” side of parks. The United Conservative caucus launched a website Monday aimed at countering the "misinformation" about a plan to remove parks and recreation areas from the Alberta Parks system. Read more about what delisting means. As public health risks change, we will re-evaluate our options. At the moment we have suspended any in-person protests due to ongoing concerns around COVID-19. You can view this map on our website (it is the last page in our FOIP document). Donations to Defend Alberta Parks are collected by the Alberta Environmental Network and go towards lawn signs, flyers and sharing the campaign across the province. Delisting of parks sites means they will no longer be under protected areas legislation such as the Provincial Parks Act, and instead would fall under the Public Lands Act, which has less environmental protections and allows for industrial development. Premier Jason Kenney posted a comment October 10th about Alberta Parks not being up for sale and soon after, volunteers with Defend Alberta Parks … "I find it rather amusing that they somehow thought it was effective to make a song that was written for the film Titanic as a means of somehow suggesting Alberta parks are safe," she said. However, there are Indigenous-led campaigns opposing the Government of Alberta’s recent rescinding of the 1976 Coal Policy. Defend Alberta Parks is supported by donations from individuals, small businesses and local non-profit groups from Alberta. Much of the impact would depend on what is done with the land once it is delisted. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. Become a member now. “Government must use taxpayer dollars wisely and make sure funding for outdoor recreation is sustainable. Studies by the Canadian Parks Council have found that for every dollar governments invest in parks in Canada, $6 is generated back into the GDP. A good reference document exists that highlights the intents for different activities within different land use designations. If conditions improve sufficiently, we will consider possible in-person protests again and are continuing to reassess our position on this as circumstances change. Unfortunately it is not entirely clear. Send another letter or call your MLA and explicitly request a response. "We felt that there was a need to improve communications and get information out to our constituents so we collaborated in our efforts to make sure that we do so.". In addition to the campaign launched by the Alberta NDP, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) and Alberta Environmental Network partnered for the Defend Alberta Parks … We are monitoring our operations to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and this page is updated as adjustments are made. “I think that it is possible to push back,” said Notley during the press conference overlooking a park in the northwest. However, there are Indigenous-led campaigns opposing the Government of Alberta’s recent, There is currently an in-person protest scheduled to take place at the Alberta Legislature in Edmonton sometime this winter (. Word of mouth is powerful! They also help let other people learn about this now, very visual, issue, and are able to direct many people to the resources we have put together to learn more. While we are unsure how many interested parties there are and which sites they are interested in partnering on, we know that the government indicated there were approximately 45 sites that were set for divestment that were possibly going to be made available for partnerships (briefing note to cabinet on ‘Rightsizing Alberta Parks’). Defend Alberta Parks organizers and all Albertans engaged in this discussion remain committed and motivated to seek clarity on how parks will remain protected! The goal of the government’s proposal appears to have been to reduce the ‘red tape’ associated with managing park lands by moving them out from under our protected areas legislation and into the more permissive public lands legislation. NDP environment critic Marlin Schmidt says the United Conservative government should hold off on making any changes until those hearings are ... “Alberta parks are not for sale,” he said. The Alberta Parks site indicates: “The government has been clear – current park sites will remain free from industrial and commercial development.” Whether the sites are sold or not, if they are delisted they can still be leased out for industrial activities. If you have already written a letter, calling your MLA and/or arranging a meeting with your MLA are excellent next steps to ensure that the issue is advanced! So far the effort has distributed 15,000 lawn signs and spurred a letter-writing campaign. In response, Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley launched the “Don’t Go Breaking My Parks” campaign in Calgary on Friday, which includes an online petition. The ecological impacts would be substantially different if the area is retained in a similar condition post-delistment but could have substantial ecological impacts if converted to a different land use, especially if leased for industrial activities. There is considerable detail associated with the different classes under the Provincial Parks Act and numerous specific sections in both legislation and regulation that support protection. However, as of the UCP’s townhall on November 17, Nixon said that the parks plan is not focused on saving money, but rather about providing better access to our wild places. Opposition NDP environment critic Marlin Schmidt called it a climbdown ... members and lawn signs saying “Defend Alberta Parks” began popping up in ... delisting of Alberta parks. Albertans have been working hard at the grassroots level on a number of initiatives related to the parks issue: Show your support and help raise awareness. From the types of communication the government has been putting our way, we can see that they are recognizing that parks are an important issue to all Albertans. Jeremy Nixon, the UCP MLA for Calgary-Klein and brother of Environment and Parks Minister Jason Nixon, said he and other caucus members have heard from constituents concerned about the government's plan for parks. 7 in 10 Albertans oppose these changes , and tens of thousands of Albertans have already spoken up against the closure or removal of these parks. However when we don’t agree with policies we voice our concerns and support Albertans who share our concerns. Section 4 sets out the purpose of the Natural Area when established by the Minister and Section 5 empowers the Minister to enter into partnerships to manage the sites. We are not slowing down on our Defend Alberta Parks campaign. 251. Ultimately, elected officials hold the power to alter or reverse the Optimizing Alberta Parks plan, so contacting your MLA and convincing them that this issue is important is the best course of action. This was highlighted in an AEP presentation to the Bighorn Standing Committee this summer. There are some things we can learn based on the intent of these decisions, however; the first is that the current provincial government is not interested in engaging with Albertans on environmental issues, as there was no public consultation on either decision. We expect that the Government of Alberta will have a public consultation process on any of these changes. Answers to the common questions about “Optimizing Alberta Parks.”. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. A PLUZ really only regulates recreation access, not industrial access. If the land is delisted and remains vacant public land, hunting would likely be allowed. We have consulted with lawyers on this, and we were advised that there are no legal actions available to us. Alberta Parks need your voice. Unfortunately, it does not appear that there is an option for legal action on this issue. Here is the study. NDP LABOUR CRITIC AIMS TO DEFEND ALBERTA PENSIONS FROM UCP. "The Titanic was not safe, nor are Alberta parks from the irresponsible decisions of Jason Kenney and Jason Nixon to convert these parks back to basic Crown land so that they can be leased for profit to industry and limit the access to those parks by Albertans across the province.". The UCP Caucus launched a website called My Parks Will Go On to clarify their position on the Optimizing Alberta Parks plan. CPAWs will work to interpret any changes and enable Albertans to engage in a meaningful way. Watch the replays from both of these events. This far outweighs the minor ‘savings’ that are being reported. At the moment we have suspended any in-person protests due to ongoing concerns around COVID-19. BW. NDP Labour Critic Christina Gray has put on notice a Bill to undo damage caused to Albertans’ public-sector pensions as a result of the UCP’s corrupt Bill 22. As well, many of these sites are Provincial Recreation Areas, which means their main purpose is to facilitate use and enjoyment of the areas for outdoor recreation by present and future generations, not necessarily to be managed for conservation values. Given that CPAWS and AEN are non-partisan organizations, we try to avoid officially addressing events held by political parties. (b) governing the provision of services to the public in respect of parks or recreation areas. Stay up-to-date here as more candidates continue to … The page has since been taken down, but a cached version is available, Unfortunately it is not entirely clear. CPAWS Northern and Southern Alberta chapters have been pushing for this decision to be reversed, but protecting Alberta’s parks is not possible without you! Learn how you can join the fight. A timeline of protection is included here. Every week we have been expanding to new communities, and we continue to encourage people to contact the MLA (even a 2nd or 3rd time). It will be very important that Albertans engage on this issue. It appears they are using this as part of their justification to delist the 175 sites within the Alberta Parks system. The Government of Alberta published a full list of the sites set to be delisted and closed in the spring of 2020. We’ve got 150,000 reasons to celebrate today! "I think there's been very large misinformation campaign that has been gaining some steam," Nixon said. We focus on policies not politics. Alberta's Opposition leader is calling out the province's environment minister for contradicting himself by refusing to consult the public over plans to shrink the province's parks system. Much of the impact would depend on what is done with the land once it is delisted. News from Alberta's NDP See all updates. EDMONTON—The Alberta Opposition is calling on the government to hold virtual public hearings on a plan to remove dozens of parks and recreation sites from the provincial system. Given the semantics being used, we will wait on more clear language from the government clarifying this point before our concerns are addressed. The government is choosing to prioritize private interests in these cases: there is evidence of, private consultation with coal mining companies prior to the decision to rescind the 1976 Coal Policy, Coal mining is known to have negative environmental impacts, write your MLA to oppose the rescinding of the 1976 Coal Policy, Public land designations like Public Land Use Zones (PLUZ) do not offer the same protection as a park designation. Public lands are not protected to the same level as parks. The ecological impacts would be substantially different if the area is retained in a similar condition post-delistment, but could have substantial ecological impacts if converted to a different land use, especially if leased for industrial activities. I agreed to put up a sign. If conditions improve sufficiently, we will consider possible in-person protests again and are continuing to reassess our position on this as circumstances change. Hundreds of volunteers help by delivering signs, flyers and organizing Defend Alberta Parks. Currently fishing is allowed within most designations of parks. Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley scoffed at the name of the UCP's campaign, which plays on My Heart Will Go On sung by Celine Dion, from the 1997 movie Titanic. This was highlighted in an AEP presentation to the Bighorn Standing Committee this summer. In addition to the campaign launched by the Alberta NDP, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) and Alberta Environmental Network partnered for the Defend Alberta Parks campaign. As for hunting, several different protected areas, including Wildland Provincial Parks, Natural Areas, and some provincial parks, among others, currently allow hunting within them. The Alberta NDP, together with tens of thousands of you, fought this Government’s horrible plan we have won a small victory as they have backed off. Alongside Arc’teryx West Edmonton and Calgary locations, CPAWS Northern and Southern Alberta chapters hosted an Information and Action Night about this issue on November 5. The UCP caucus site launch hit a pothole on Monday after someone took advantage of its failure to buy up all the relevant domain names. Unfortunately, there is no legal requirement for them to consult on these changes (for the most part). We do not understand the motive. We would love to have you on the team. Once they are delisted, they are no longer parks, and the statement only indicates that ‘current’ park sites will remain free of those activities, and the government has still not officially retracted their plan to delist the sites. The Alberta government is planning to close 20 parks and remove 164 from the Alberta Parks system. Watch the answer and see the FOIP documents. The Government of Alberta has not made any official follow-up announcement indicating that they no longer plan on delisting the 164 identified parks. In 2015 the NDP knocked on my door for the election. Defend Alberta Parks. The government has insisted they aren't selling any parks and that the areas will still remain open to Albertans for recreational use. If the area is taken up by a partner, the partner organization could likely prohibit hunting if they chose to, and if the land is delisted and leased for another activity, hunting may also be restricted. I went out an hour later and it was already gone. ‘Hypocritical:’ Alberta NDP call out UCP refusal to consult on parks changes. It is unclear what this will actually mean, although documents obtained in our FOIP indicate how ‘crown jewel’ parks could fit into the larger changes the government looks to be pursuing for Alberta Parks. level 1 We must keep speaking up and contacting our elected representatives to let them know that you oppose the Government’s optimizing Alberta’s parks. Alberta Parks Response to COVID-19 . A second Q&A was held by CPAWS Northern Alberta, CPAWS Southern Alberta and the Alberta Environmental Network on November 25. We recommend that you keep it up. We are not aware of any Indigenous-led campaigns opposing the provincial parks delistings. Chris Smith, parks coordinator for CPAWS Northern Alberta, said Defend Alberta Parks relied on the government's own news releases, statements and documents for the information on its site. Bill 203: Pension Protection Act, has… The Niitsitapi Water Protectors are also running a campaign opposing the Grassy Mountain coal project, which you can learn more about here. In March,The Government of Alberta announced the removal of 164 parks and the closure of 20 campsites and day-use areas, impacting a total of 175 parks and provincial recreation areas. Read our COVID-19 guidelines by clicking this banner before visiting one of our parks. It is a priority for CBC to create a website that is accessible to all Canadians including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. This infograph provides information on the parks being affected and what can be done. Both campaigns play on the names of popular songs. MyParksWillGoOn.ca is UCP MLAs’ answer to the NDP Opposition’s Don’t Go Breaking My Parks campaign. The NDP isn’t the only group fighting the proposed parks changes. “This is intensely hypocritical action by Jason Nixon,” said NDP Leader Rachel Notley. He said the government needs to be more forthright if the situation has truly changed. CPAWS and AEN have worked with governments of all stripes for 50 years. Currently 121 existing sites within Alberta Parks are managed by park partner organizations across the province. In the FOIP’ed documents CPAWS obtained, there was a map (published December 12, 2019) that showed all of the sites that appear to have been identified as potential park partnership opportunities. Their references to areas remaining “protected” under the jurisdiction of Alberta Environment and Parks does not mean that they have the same protections as they currently do as a park. Adopt a park and log your parks visits through. Additionally, in recent statements from the government of Alberta it has become clear that they intend to change the existing provincial parks legislation. Removing unnecessary red tape on lands that no longer meet the intent for which they were established. The Government of Alberta’s decision to delist and close 175 provincial parks (the “Optimizing Alberta Parks” plan) has left many with more questions than answers. The Alberta Parks website does list ways to generally become a partner with Alberta Parks. Questions about how to take action to keep Alberta’s parks protected. In previous cases where municipal parks have been sold for development (e.g., ring road construction), exponential drops in species counts have been observed. A PLUZ really only regulates recreation access, not industrial access. But the MyParksWillGoOn.com domain was purchased by someone anonymously who redirected traffic to the Defend Alberta Parks site. Public lands are not protected to the same level as parks. The November 17 Town Hall was a UCP Caucus event and not an official government town hall. It has been made abundantly clear that this is not something Albertans support. Beyond interacting with your MLA, there are so many ways to take action on this issue! No, Defend Alberta Parks is not affiliated with the NDP. The Government of Alberta published a full list of the sites set to be delisted and closed in the spring of 2020. The Provincial Park (Disposition) Regulation would cover any FOA agreement between an operator and the government. The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society has distributed more than 15,000 lawn signs that say Defend Alberta Parks. Overall, the government has not really made a clear statement about what their intent is with this process since their initial release, as their messaging on why they’ve implemented this plan appears to keep changing since then. We are still unaware of where the $5 Million figure came from. Posted by 22 days ago. Questions about public consultation on changes to the parks system. Parks contribute to local and regional economies through recreation and tourism. This far outweighs the minor ‘savings’ that are being reported. The government’s initial rationale for delisting the sites appears to be based on several desired outcomes, as determined from a Cabinet briefing presentation on the decision (obtained in our FOIP and viewable here): To be clear, protected area designations are not mere semantics, as the designation dictates what is legally allowed and not allowed to occur within the park area. "It seems a bit weird that they keep saying these things aren't true, but they haven't really provided any evidence showing that it isn't," Smith said. You can check it out here. 17 of the sites remained open for the summer, when they were planned to be closed. CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. A good reference document exists that highlights the intents for different activities within different land use designations. Keep your sign up, and stick with us. We’d encourage anyone who also has this concern to share it with their elected representatives, especially if they were involved in the Special Places 2000 program. Discussion . The Alberta Government announced they are eliminating or privatizing 184 sites from the Alberta Parks system, including 20 parks that will be completely or partially closed immediately. This website contains a number of claims regarding the provincial government’s parks plan, although it is important to note that the UCP caucus is a political entity and is not an official Government of Alberta entity. For example, the claim that “all current park sites will remain fully protected, free from industrial development,” differs from the previous Government of Alberta announcement that 164 parks sites are being delisted. In February, the government announced a plan to optimize the parks system in a bid to save $5 million. We did request this as part of the Freedom of Information and Privacy Protection submission that we received in July. In the case of Natural Areas (such as JJ Collet) the designations falls under the WAERNAHR Act. However, we remain optimistic that the widespread opposition to Optimizing Alberta Parks from non-profits, private corporations, grassroots groups, members of the official opposition, and the general public is making an impact and highlighting for the government just how unpopular this decision is to Albertans. "I think that's disappointing. Become a member of Alberta’s NDP. Alberta's new NDP government is planning a charm offensive in the continent's financial capitals to battle investor skepticism over its ability to run a massive energy-fueled economy.
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