Nearly $66 million provided for a proposed bike path along Highway 93 between Banff and Jasper national parks will be reallocated, following an announcement Parks Canada has cancelled the project.
Parks Canada received $65.9 million in 2016 for the proposal, dubbed Icefields Trail. The 107-kilometre walking and biking path would have followed Icefields Parkway, between Banff and Jasper.
Parks Canada announced it was not proceeding with the project Wednesday, thanking those who participated in the consultation process.
A statement by the federal government said the proposal was ended because “preliminary feedback from the consultation process expressed concerns over the potential environmental impact and high cost.”
The funding was provided to Parks Canada with a two-year expiry. Last year, CTV News reported on documents suggesting the agency had begun discussing construction and kick-off events before public consultations were started. The papers also raised concerns about the proposed path’s effect on wildlife and user safety.
“The Government of Canada is helping preserve our national parks for generations to come. We will keep listening to Canadians, and working with them to protect our natural heritage across the country,” Catherine McKenna, the minister responsible for Parks Canada, wrote in the statement.
Details on how the funding will be reallocated are expected in the near future, the government said.
