NDP Environment and Parks critic Marlin Schmidt issued the following statement in the response to the UCP’s introduction of fees for cross-country skiing in Kananaskis:
“Introducing user fees for cross-country skiing is just the start of the UCP charging Albertans to access Alberta’s parks. Closing and selling 184 parks wasn't enough for the UCP, now they want to make it more expensive and difficult for Albertans to enjoy the province’s natural beauty. The UCP are prioritizing a $4.7 billion dollar corporate handout instead of protecting Alberta’s parks. Cross country skiing in the Kananaskis region is an invaluable experience for so many seniors, families, and school classes who ski there each year. It is insulting to Peter Lougheed’s legacy of protecting provincial parks and making them accessible to Albertans for the UCP to first introduce user fees in the park named after him.”