BANFF — A controversial decision that paves the way for expansion at the Lake Louise ski area is not being reconsidered by Parks Canada, according to its chief executive.
The plans, which were opposed by environmental groups and 11 former managers of the federal agency, were approved on the eve of the federal election call last August.
“There was a very robust process around that,” Daniel Watson, chief executive of Parks Canada, said at the annual planning forum in Banff last week. “It’s the same process we followed on every other ski area that we’ve worked on so far, so I think it’s fair to say there are no differences on that front.”
He noted, however, that new federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, who’s responsible for Parks Canada, has yet to be briefed on the issue.
Watson’s comments come a week after Parks Canada cancelled its involvement in the controversial Mother Canada statue proposed on Cape Breton’s well-known Cabot Trail, which was opposed by 28 former senior Parks Canada managers.
Conservationists said they would like to see McKenna briefed on the Lake Louise issue and ultimately review its approved site guidelines.
Richardson Ridge, an area where Lake Louise could turn into ski area, in Banff National Park.
“The potential to double the capacity of the ski resort and say it’s an environmental gain for the area is a complete fallacy,” said Anne-Marie Syslak, executive director for the southern Alberta chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. “We do not want to change the declared wilderness regulations to facilitate development into areas that are currently pristine within Banff National Park.
“We would want them to look at approval of those guidelines and revisit that, and we would actually want them to start again.”
Officials with both Lake Louise and Banff National Park have said they are only guidelines for future development at the resort.
They reduce the ski area’s leasehold by 669 hectares, returning undeveloped land to wilderness. In exchange, Lake Louise would have an option to develop areas such as West Bowl, Hidden Bowl, Richardson’s Ridge and West Juniper under a licence of occupation.
If fully developed, it would mean more development and ultimately allow Lake Louise to accommodate up to 11,500 visitors daily — almost double its current capacity.
