Alberta looking to develop year-round resorts to boost tourism

The province is hoping to put Alberta on the map as a year-round travel destination by tabling new legislation aimed at the tourism sector.

The province says if passed, Bill 25, the All-Season Resorts Act, would grow Alberta’s tourism sector from $10 billion to $25 billion annually by 2035.

It would do so by developing all-season resorts, giving visitors and Albertans the option to travel and explore the province no matter the weather.

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There are currently no all-season resorts on provincial lands. To compare, B.C. introduced all-season resorts decades ago, with more than 13 locations on provincial lands.

“Our mountains are just as beautiful as B.C.’s, or in my opinion, even better,” said Tourism and Sport Minister Joseph Schow on Thursday.

“They would also give Albertans an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of their own backyards without needing to book accommodations months in advance or paying unaffordable prices due to overcrowding,” Schow added.

Schow says Banff and Jasper are the “crown jewels” of the province and more resorts will bring more attention to other areas and help with overcrowding.

The Tourism Industry Association of Alberta says Albertans have expressed their desire for more year-round recreation and this legislation answers that. The association added that more resorts will make the outdoor lifestyle that many Albertans enjoy more accessible.

The association’s president and CEO Darren Reeder says there’s “too much emphasis” on visiting the Rocky Mountains during the summer and he believes the all-year resorts will bring in locals and visitors during the shoulder and winter season.

Schow says there’s a “travel deficit” with the province’s neighbours to the west.

“Albertans are spending about $2 billion more in B.C. than (British Columbians) are spending in Alberta.”

The province says any development built under the All-Season Resorts Act will be required to maintain “rigorous” environmental reviews and engagement with Indigenous people before any final approvals are given.

Any resorts would be built on “well-managed areas” to keep protected spaces preserved.

All current environmental standards and engagement requirements for developing resorts will not be altered.

Environmental impact

The Alberta Wilderness Association hopes the province is cautious when it comes to how new resorts will impact the ecosystem.

“We've seen areas in the province that have had to have local and temporary closures to deal with the amount of people wanting to visit the area,” said Kennedy Halvorson with the association.

She says the indicators are a sign that the space may not be able to accommodate further tourism. Halvorson worries what it could mean for wildlife.

“Some of those species at risk are very sensitive to human activity, and we wouldn't want to do anything that would put them further at risk and make it harder for them to survive.”

Halvorson says the province needs to conserve at least 30 per cent of its land and water to retain the ecosystem – right now it’s only at 15 per cent.

The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society is also sharing its conservation concerns, with questions about how the pressures of climate change are being factored into decisions.

“We are in a dual crisis in terms of biodiversity loss and climate change. Those issues are intertwined together. You cannot address one without the other,” said Chloe Hahn with the society.

Hahn hopes if the province is increasing tourism opportunities, it will also increase its protected areas to create a balancing act.

If passed, the new regulator is expected to begin operating next year.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Chelan Skulski