We focus on policies not politics. So far the effort has distributed 15,000 lawn signs and spurred a letter-writing campaign. In July 2016, the Alberta NDP led by Rachel Notley granted Ram River Coal Aries Project, a 20,000 hectare open-pit mine, an exemption to the province’s Coal Policy. 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. "I think that's disappointing. Parks contribute to local and regional economies through recreation and tourism. It appears they are using this as part of their justification to delist the 175 sites within the Alberta Parks system. A timeline of protection is included here. No, Defend Alberta Parks is not affiliated with the NDP. 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. 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. Beyond interacting with your MLA, there are so many ways to take action on this issue! Discussion . 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 do know that the government has been continuing to work on park partnerships behind the scenes. article. However, we remain optimistic that the widespread opposition to, 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. For many of these sites, it is unlikely there will be a substantial impact on species due to their relatively small size. 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 … Answers to the common questions about “Optimizing Alberta Parks.”. NDP LABOUR CRITIC AIMS TO DEFEND ALBERTA PENSIONS FROM UCP. 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. Questions about the partnerships with corporations, nonprofits and Indigenous communities proposed by the Alberta government to help manage provincial parks. "I think there's been very large misinformation campaign that has been gaining some steam," Nixon said. 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. Hundreds of volunteers help by delivering signs, flyers and organizing Defend Alberta Parks. The Government of Alberta has not made any official follow-up announcement indicating that they no longer plan on delisting the 164 identified parks. We recommend that you keep it up. These are the most frequently asked or most popular questions that were posed during the events, as well as several questions that we didn’t have enough time to answer. 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’s possible, although at this point it would just be conjecture. 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. A total of 175 parks will lose protection and Albertans could lose access. 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. "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.". 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. Defend Alberta Parks is organized by CPAWS and AEN, which are both non-partisan non profit organizations. Alberta’s election platforms compared: Where the NDP and UCP stand on everything from child care to carbon taxes Justin Giovannetti Published April 12, 2019 Updated April 16, 2019 Albertans have been left with many unanswered questions when it comes to the Government of Alberta's proposed changes to the provincial parks system. 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. Defend Alberta Parks is organized by CPAWS and AEN, which are both non-partisan non profit organizations. We do not understand the motive. There isn’t any direct evidence these decisions are connected, other than bad timing! 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. Hundreds of volunteers from across Alberta are helping to deliver lawn signs, deliver flyers and bring Defend Alberta Parks to more communities. Engage your network! 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). These small changes would not have happened without thousands of Albertans speaking up, this is a clear indication of the impact. Watch the answer and see the FOIP documents. We have worked collaboratively with governments, First Nations, industry, and other stakeholders to progress parks and conservation in the province. 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. 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. (b) governing the provision of services to the public in respect of parks or recreation areas. "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. Posted by 22 days ago. On February 29, 2020, the government of Alberta proposed removal of 164 parks from the Alberta Parks system. Read more. The Alberta government is planning to close 20 parks and remove 164 from the Alberta Parks system. 251. A second Q&A was held by CPAWS Northern Alberta, CPAWS Southern Alberta and the Alberta Environmental Network on November 25. 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. I went out an hour later and it was already gone. 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. 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. Previous governments grew the park system from 3,500 km2 in 1991 to 44,000 km2 in 2019, without funding it properly for the long-run.”. The table is on page 74 in this document. CPAWS Southern Alberta will be hosting a webinar on coal issues in Southern Alberta on Dec 10. Read more about. Sale of parks was removed from the plan early on in March due to swift push back. Send us an email kmorrison@cpaws.org and we can chat about how to best work together! In February, the government announced a plan to optimize the parks system in a bid to save $5 million. The Government of Alberta has not confirmed that they will be stopping or reversing the “Optimizing Alberta Parks” plan that was announced at the end of February 2020. 17 of the sites remained open for the summer, when they were planned to be closed. Posted on June 5, 2020. MyParksWillGoOn.ca is UCP MLAs' answer to the NDP Opposition's Don't Go Breaking My Parks campaign. Public lands are not protected to the same level as parks. We’ve got 150,000 reasons to celebrate today! To learn more about Indigenous-led conservation initiatives in Alberta and Canada, we also recommend checking out the following organizations and initiatives: There is currently an in-person protest scheduled to take place at the Alberta Legislature in Edmonton sometime this winter (https://www.facebook.com/events/200999047780639), although it is not being organized by Defend Alberta Parks. Ultimately, elected officials hold the power to alter or reverse the. You can check it out here. At the moment we have suspended any in-person protests due to ongoing concerns around COVID-19. Questions about public consultation on changes to the parks system. We believe that they have had an impact! “I think that it is possible to push back,” said Notley during the press conference overlooking a park in the northwest. 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 land is delisted and remains vacant public land, hunting would likely be allowed. Public land designations like Public Land Use Zones (PLUZ) do not offer the same protection as a park designation. Your annual membership opens the door to additional participation opportunities in Alberta's NDP. You can view this map on our website (it is the last page in our FOIP document). Alberta Parks need your voice. 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. We are working closely with many other organizations and user groups. Thousands of species will be affected. Questions about potential future legislative changes to our parks, protected areas and public lands. Trail Reports. 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. I agreed to put up a sign. 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. Support Alberta Strong & Free Thank you ... and go to court to defend Alberta’s constitutional power to control our resources” Kenney vows. Become a member now. Alberta Environment and Parks quietly removed the list of parks and recreational areas slated for closure and delisting from its website and has largely been silent on who has signalled an interest in parks partnerships or what rules they will have to follow. There are plans to update parks legislation in 2021. “He knows full well Albertans would not agree to this.” Become a member of Alberta’s NDP. Given the uncertain nature of the pandemic, and the risks that in-person gatherings pose, we will not be planning any demonstrations or gatherings. Stay up-to-date here as more candidates continue to … Alberta NDP municipal affairs critic Joe Ceci brought up the issue Thursday, claiming the government's budget documents outlined a $20 million revenue increase from Environment and Parks. Keep an eye out for updates! In a general sense, Sections 3 and 4 of the Provincial Parks Act sets the framework for protection as well as the Minister’s ability to develop programs to manage for these outcomes. CPAWS has been a stakeholder in many government land-use decisions for decades. Disappointingly, the purchase and sale of these lands, which are situated in Indigenous traditional territories, have occurred without consultation with local Indigenous groups. 2 min read. 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. 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. This far outweighs the minor ‘savings’ that are being reported. Absolutely. Hundreds of volunteers help by delivering signs, flyers and organizing Defend Alberta Parks. Until February 2020, the Alberta Parks Consultation Framework listed the conditions or changes to the parks system that require consultation, including “Significant change in size or shape, significant change to public use of park” and “Change in legal classification or the management intent of a park.” On February 18, 2020 this framework was updated to the Alberta Parks Engagement Framework which removes the requirement for consultation and states only that “the public may be engaged or notified.”. Close. 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. 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. The Niitsitapi Water Protectors are also running a campaign opposing the Grassy Mountain coal project, which you can learn more about here. Defend Alberta Parks was started to stop the closure and removal of 175 parks in 2020. ‘Hypocritical:’ Alberta NDP call out UCP refusal to consult on parks changes. ... when he was fighting plans to create a park in the Bighorn area Alberta foothills. 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. Public lands are not protected to the same level as parks. 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. MyParksWillGoOn.ca is UCP MLAs’ answer to the NDP Opposition’s Don’t Go Breaking My Parks campaign. Reducing stakeholder irritants by resolving sites with misaligned activities and park designations. As public health risks change, we will re-evaluate our options. 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. 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. Even in early polling, 7/10 Albertans did not support this plan. Unfortunately, there is no legal requirement for them to consult on these changes (for the most part). We are not aware of any Indigenous-led campaigns opposing the provincial parks delistings. The page has since been taken down, but a cached version is available, Unfortunately it is not entirely clear. 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. Due to the public push back, the issue of parks has remained at the forefront in Question Period in the legislature, in the media and in conversation on social media. The table is on page 74 in this. "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.". No, Defend Alberta Parks is not affiliated with the NDP. At the moment we have suspended any in-person protests due to ongoing concerns around COVID-19. “We can’t continue to spend $86 million of Albertans’ tax dollars and only see $36 million come in”. Given the semantics being used, we will wait on more clear language from the government clarifying this point before our concerns are addressed. 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’). Unfortunately no, as that information has not been made public. Much of the impact would depend on what is done with the land once it is delisted. Other impacts include closing visitor centres, discontinuing popular groomed cross-country ski trails, shortening the operating season for many campgrounds and increasing camping and service fees at all sites. Adopt a park and log your parks visits through. Currently 121 existing sites within Alberta Parks are managed by park partner organizations across the province. Despite the page being taken down, no government announcements have been made to indicate that the plan for these sites has changed. The Alberta Parks website does list ways to generally become a partner with Alberta Parks. 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 survey asks, "Do you believe that all parks and public lands need to be operated by the government in all circumstances?" The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society has distributed more than 15,000 lawn signs that say Defend Alberta Parks. Premier Jason Kenney posted a comment October 10th about Alberta Parks not being up for sale and soon after, volunteers with Defend Alberta Parks … 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. The UCP site features a two-question survey that asks for users' names, emails and postal codes. 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. "It looks like it's unfortunately being used to continue to mislead Albertans in regards to what the government's intent is with parks," Nixon said. In 2015 the NDP knocked on my door for the election. 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. The Government of Alberta published a full list of the sites set to be delisted and closed in the spring of 2020. Defend Alberta Parks. Unfortunately, it does not appear that there is an option for legal action on this issue. There are likely a number of partnership opportunities that would make sense to pursue, but the ongoing concern is the lack of transparency of how this process has been handled, and the many questions surrounding the sites that wouldn’t be taken up as partnerships. 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. Watch the replays from both of these events. You can check it out, calling your MLA and/or arranging a meeting with your MLA are excellent next steps, Pick up Defend Alberta Parks pins and stickers, https://www.facebook.com/events/200999047780639, announcement that 164 parks sites are being delisted, will no longer be under protected areas legislation. Part of our role is to help the government and Albertans understand the implications of those statements and decisions. Read more about what delisting means. Their references to areas remaining “protected” under AEP does not mean that they will not delist them. The page has since been taken down, but a cached version is available here. All the Defend Alberta Parks signs on our street were ripped off last night, nowhere to be seen. We would love to have you on the team. Read our COVID-19 guidelines by clicking this banner before visiting one of our parks. Ultimately, this would see 20 parks closed and reductions in service or private operation at 164 of 473 provincial parks in Alberta in order to trim $5M annually from the province’s budget.