A new federal legislation introduced yesterday aims to give the town of Jasper full authority over local land planning and development, transferring these powers from Parks Canada. Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault stated that once passed, this legislation would help accelerate rebuilding efforts following devastating wildfires.
In July, a wildfire destroyed over one-third of Jasper’s homes and businesses, wiping out more than 800 housing units. Currently, since Jasper is located within Jasper National Park, Parks Canada oversees land use planning and development in the area. This means that building plans and permits must be approved by Parks Canada rather than the local government.
Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault noted that once the legislation is enacted, Parks Canada and the town of Jasper will work together to create a community development plan, which will then require approval from the Alberta government.
