EDMONTON -- The mayor of the Municipality of Jasper is urging travellers to stay away from Jasper until at least June 1st, on the same weekend Alberta re-opens its provincial parks. 

“Now is still not yet the time to visit Jasper,” said Mayor Richard Ireland. “We don’t want to overwhelm the healthcare professionals if the virus comes in and we become a hot pocket.”

Provincial parks in Alberta are re-opening but national parks are not, which means downtown Jasper is mostly deserted, entrances to nearby lakes like are blocked off and besides essential workers, hotels in town are mostly vacant.

“Parks Canada is aware of the announcement by the Government of Alberta regarding the opening of provincial parks and campgrounds, however the agency’s current closures at national parks remain in place until further notice,” Parks Canada said in a statement. 

Until at least May 31st, all camping, group activities and events have been suspended at national parks across the country. 

“Visitor services and vehicle access by visitors are suspended, and facilities remain closed until further notice,” Parks Canada said. 

A NEW TAKE ON TOURISM 

When visitors are welcomed back inside Jasper National Park, Mark Howe, owner and operator of Jasper Rafting Adventures and Jasper’s Whitewater Rafting Company, questions how his businesses will thrive. 

“It’s really really up in the air. I think the only thing you can predict is you’re going to be down. And your’e going to be down substantially,” Howe said. 

Howe told two staff from Australia he initially hired for a two year contract, he wouldn’t be able to hire them after all. And with six to eight people usually packed into a 13 foot raft, he wonders how the two metre distancing rule may work, and whether his business would be sustainable with fewer people in the raft. 

“The two metre distancing is a huge distance for me and I’d like to know where that’s going. I don’t think it’s going away but that’s the one that’s going to make our lives really difficult,” Howe said. 

In downtown Jasper, the Athabasca Hotel is still running its restaurant for take out and staff are still working, thanks to federal funding. 

“And when the time comes that we open up, we don’t have to do a hard start,” said Tim Howes, assistant General Manager of the Athabasca hotel.

“Staff is here, ready to go.” 

Mayor Ireland doesn’t expect international travellers to visit Jasper this summer—and knows the volume of visitors will be limited— but hopes when the time is right, Albertans and other Canadians from the region will.

“So much of central Alberta and Northern Alberta regard Jasper as their backyard and we want to see them have the opportunity to come back and enjoy their backyard when it’s safe and responsible to do so,” said Ireland. 

“I think with resilience and forethought our tourism industry will find ways to adapt.”