Contentious Glacier Discovery-Walkway gets green light from Ottawa
Posted Feb 9, 2012 12:34 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Parks Canada’s approval of a controversial, privately owned glacier walkway in Jasper is getting mixed reaction from Canadians.
Brewster Travel Canada is behind the project and has been petitioning Environment Canada to build the 30 metre glass-floored observation area overlooking the Sunwapta Valley.
Environment Minister Peter Kent made the announcement Thursday morning from Parliament Hill, telling reporters the development has met all required environmental assessment guidelines.
“A major challenge in Canada’s national parks is to manage development in order to protect the area for future generations, while offering visitors the opportunity to enjoy and understand the national parks,” Kent says in a release.
“We are extremely happy with the outcome of this decision,” said Michael Hannon, president of Brewster Travel Canada.
The privately owned company would hope to start building the multi-million dollar project within the year and wants to charge $15 to $29 for tourists to use the walkway.
The development would be built along the Icefields Parkway, replacing a highway pullout, where park visitors can currently stop their vehicles for free.
Critics say this could open a Pandora’s box when it comes to the future of this country’s national parks.
Wildlife Canada Conservation Alliance Jim Pissot tells 660News this is a dark day for Parks Canada and Jasper.
He worries about the trend this could set for future developments and worries this could open the door to Canada’s treasured national parks.
In the meantime, he says he’s not giving up and is encouraging Canadians to contact their MP to voice their concerns.
“If conservationists in Alberta and Canada were capable of losing hope, we would have given up a long time ago,” he says. “This is the beginning of this campaign, not the end.”
