Feds introduce legislation to transfer development and planning authority to Jasper

The remains of hotels in Jasper, Alta., on July 26, 2024. (Amber Bracken / The Canadian Press)

Federal legislation introduced Wednesday aims to give the fire-ravaged Rocky Mountain town of Jasper, Alta., full authority over local land planning and development instead of Parks Canada.

Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said the legislation, once passed, would help accelerate rebuilding efforts.

A July wildfire destroyed over one-third of the town's homes and businesses and wiped out more than 800 housing units.

Since Jasper falls within the boundaries of Jasper National Park, Parks Canada currently has authority over land use planning and development in the town.

This means building plans and permits are issued by Parks Canada rather than the local government.

At a news conference in Ottawa, Guilbeault said giving Jasper control over development in the community is transferring authority “where it belongs."

“It will make it possible to give the town of Jasper, businesses and residents more say to shape the future of the town,” Guilbeault said.

“We're committed to remove any and all barriers that impede these efforts.”

Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland said the new legislation is the first step in a long process to actually obtain the authority, but it's coming at a critical time for the town.

“This is a tremendously significant step forward for Jasper,” he said.

“The changes which this legislation enables will permit us to plan for Jasper's future with more local input, ensuring that decisions may truly reflect the needs of our residents while, of course, preserving the unique character of our iconic national park.”

Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault said once the legislation is passed, Parks Canada and Jasper are to create a community development plan that would then need to be approved by the Alberta government.

Ireland said this change has been in the works since 2022.

"We have been in long discussions with Parks Canada over a number of years to get to a point where we think we are very close to agreement on the technical aspects," he said.

"But we need this legislative change first and hopefully that will come rapidly.

"It cannot be quick enough from our perspective."

Jasper is grappling with a number of challenges as the community starts to rebuild.

Earlier this week, town council voted to ask the Alberta government for help stabilizing its annual budgets for the next few years since the fire took out a significant amount of property tax revenue.

Without provincial assistance, local officials say the town would need to drastically cut services, which could harm the visitor experience and subsequently damage the vital tourist economy.

Another option would be to hike property taxes for remaining residents, which officials say would slow the rebuild.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.