Alberta’s parks and public lands are still at risk:
they need your help now more than ever.

The laws that protect our parks and public lands are being changed. Now is the time to let our government know what we want for the future of our parks and protected areas.

In November 2020, the Government of Alberta released a new document called Alberta’s Crown Land Vision. The document clearly states that we can expect big changes to Alberta’s parks and protected areas in 2021, including changes to legislation that will “modernize it for the 21st century.”

The new Crown Land Vision raises a lot of concerns: how will our laws surrounding parks, public lands and protected areas be changed? Will these changes affect Albertans’ ability to recreate safely and sustainably? How will this new approach ensure conservation of our unique and precious natural environment?

The government has not yet released details on how the laws will be changed, so it is important that Albertans let them know now what we want from our parks. We know the importance of having a large and well-connected protected area system that represents the diversity of landscapes across the province. Our parks are the backbone of this system: they provide habitat for wildlife, harbour the sources of our drinking water, and fight climate change for us by storing carbon in the trees and soil. Moreover, parks are where we go to breathe and connect to nature. They are incredibly important to the physical and mental health of all Albertans.

If legislative changes are not done carefully, they could weaken our parks system. Strong, dedicated parks legislation is essential to safeguard our protected areas for the long term. This should be an opportunity to strengthen the laws that protect our parks, bring them in line with international standards and have Alberta step forward as a leader in conservation.

This is an opportunity for Albertans to let the Government of Alberta know that we want stronger legislation for our parks.