UCP’S ATTACK ON PARKS CONTINUE WITH HIGH FEES TO ENTER KANANASKIS

CALGARY - Jason Kenney continues to take money out of the pockets of Alberta families with a new $90 fee to enter Kananaskis Country. 

“Working families are already being pushed to the brink by the pandemic and the long list of new costs Jason Kenney has imposed on them,” said Joe Ceci, MLA for Calgary Buffalo. “More income tax, more property tax, more school fees, more tuition, more insurance costs, more utility costs, and now a $90 fee for Albertans to enjoy a park that belongs to them. It’s an insult to the legacy of Peter Lougheed. The UCP should have learned their lesson from trying to sell off provincial parks and mine our mountains.”

The announcement of the Kananaskis park use fee comes after the UCP have announced multiple additional fees for Alberta’s parks and public land use areas. This includes a $3 hike to camping fees and a $30 annual pass to use public land areas in the Eastern Slopes. After the introduction of winter ski-fee in Kananaskis earlier this year, Albertans worried that there would be additional costs instated in this area by the UCP. Today’s new Kananaskis fees were not disclosed in the “Changes to Fees” section of Budget 2021.

“Jason Nixon claims the only way to keep Kananaskis in good condition is to take more money from Alberta families, while at the same time he’s burning $30 million of Albertans money every year - that’s $82,000 a day - on his failed energy war room. He should be cancelling UCP waste before he reaches into the pockets of those who are just looking to enjoy the natural beauty of our province,” Ceci said.

While Alberta does not charge for day use of all provincial parks, Environment and Parks Minister Jason Nixon told the media that option is not off the table. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic is still part of our lives, and we need ways to enjoy safe recreation and socializing outdoors. Jason Kenney is making that more expensive for Alberta families.”

Bill 64, which included the increase in camping fees, does not include any information on a cap on fee increases by the UCP. Stakeholders were told the bill was for the creation of a fee for off-highway vehicles and camping trailers, and instead created a fee for all camping on Crown land in the Eastern Slopes. 

“How do we know that this is the end of this cash grab,” said Ceci. “The UCP have broken the trust of Albertans and this is just one more betrayal.”

The entry fee for Kananaskis Country is slated to begin on June 1 of this year.