We Need to Defend Alberta Parks, Now and Always
The Silvertip Gondola would remove land from Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park to enable commercial development that would otherwise not be permitted within an Alberta park. Wildland Provincial Parks are intended to conserve large, undeveloped landscapes that support biodiversity, ecological integrity, and low-impact recreation.
Polling shows that 79% of Albertans oppose the closure or removal of existing provincial parks. Decisions to change boundaries or delist portions of protected areas to accommodate commercial developments set a dangerous precedent and threaten the security of Alberta’s protected areas system.
Recent polling indicates that 95% of Albertans are concerned about biodiversity loss and 77% support setting aside more land to protect wildlife habitat. Feedback from Alberta’s Plan for Parks initiative similarly demonstrated strong support for low-impact, quiet recreation and concern about large-scale or motorized development in protected landscapes.
The scale and components of the proposed Master Plan for the Silvertip Gondola All-Season Resort Area, including the lease expansion into parkland, infrastructure intensification, and expanded motorized activity, in no way reflect the values of Albertans.
Legislative and Policy Conflicts Cannot Be Ignored
The Silvertip Gondola proposal conflicts with the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan’s requirements for cumulative effects management and balanced development, as well as with provincial park management direction and Canmore’s Municipal Development Plan, which prioritize ecological integrity, wildlife habitat, and responsible growth.
Silvertip Gondola Threatens Protected Areas and Wildlife Connectivity
The plan would build a gondola from the current Silvertip area up to the summit of Lady MacDonald, disrupting the Upper Silvertip Wildlife Corridor.
This corridor supports movement for grizzly bears, cougars, bighorn sheep, and other wildlife moving through the Bow Valley. Increasing year-round human activity and infrastructure in this area would further reduce habitat integrity and wildlife connectivity in an already heavily developed landscape.
CPAWS Southern Alberta urges the Government of Alberta to:
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Reject the Silvertip Gondola proposal and deny the All-Season Resort Area designation,
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Protect Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park from boundary changes intended to facilitate private development, and
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Prioritize wildlife habitat, ecological integrity, and cumulative effects management in future Bow Valley land use decisions.
