Plan to use drones to monitor crown land campers dumped: Nixon
Posted May 18, 2021 1:01 pm.
Last Updated May 19, 2021 2:27 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
EDMONTON – The environment minister says a plan to have drones monitor Albertans using provincial parks or public land has been abandoned.
Jason Nixon says the request for suppliers that was posted on a government website recently, wasn’t reviewed or approved by him or his office.
“As soon as I became aware of this of the request for suppliers related to Long Range Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (drones) I instructed my department to suspend it,” he said in a statement.
“These devices should not and will not be used to monitor visitors while they recreate in our parks or public lands.”
The proposal indicated the drones would be used mostly on long weekends, to monitor for wildfires, off-highway vehicle use, and whether people were gathering in groups of 10 or more, against current COVID-19 restrictions.
Nixon says while drones are a cost-effective tool for wildfire monitoring and search and rescue assistance, they must never be used to encroach on privacy.
The use of the drones seemed to be logical to keep an eye on those who were wreaking havoc on the land they were staying on.
In areas of west-central Alberta last year, community groups complained tens of thousands of campers descended on Crown lands days before the May long weekend.
Some say off-highway vehicles are already ripping through areas like McLean Creek and Waiparous, turning the area into a mess.
RELATED: Fears new parks fees will lead to damage on crown land
“It just gets worse and worse, and where once there was pretty responsible recreation, it just turned into a free for all and there’s no law enforcement in the area really,” said Shaun Peter with Bragg Creek and Kananaskis Outdoor Recreation.
The group blames the Alberta government for introducing a $90 fee to access parks, while delaying a fee for off-highway vehicle users.
“It’s quite disappointing that the places where we need enforcement, where we need people to change their attitude about the area, are seeing no fees and no real change.”
