Kananaskis visitor demands prompt moves toward public transit, better planning

With ongoing visitor pressures in Kananaskis, officials in the region are looking to build up momentum to get ahead of traffic and parking problems, and better manage Alberta's crown jewel park. 

Tourists like this part of the province because of its wild feel, lack of structure, and countless recreation options. But tourism advocates and officials believe Kananaskis needs structure to keep it sustainable and accessible for years to come. 

To get ahead of continued traffic pressures, groups have come together to start conversations and studies that could add public transit options to the park that currently is only accessible for those with access to a private vehicle. 

"What visitors to Kananaskis really love is the wilderness and untapped adventures you can have in Kananaskis," said Tourism Canmore Kananaskis CEO Rachel Ludwig. "While this works for now, I think we need to be better set up for growth in the region."

Back when the Kananaskis Conservation Pass was introduced, former Environment and Parks Minister Jason Nixon told reporters the daily, or annual, park entry fee for vehicles would encourage people to carpool. 

The fee was a way to collect cash and fund more boots on the ground, and deal with issues like parking enforcement, overflowing garbage bins, and rescue organisations under pressure. But there were no immediate plans to launch a transit network.   

"Other parks of this magnitude across North America have achieved incredible results by using different types of busing technology within the park, increasing parking lots," said Nixon on Apr. 27, 2021. 

"The goal isn't to immediately overcome that. But to be able to start to build a foundation."

The Kananaskis region saw record visitation in 2020 of 5.4 million visits — up 70 per cent since 2017.

"That's 1 million more than Banff," Nixon said in 2021.

It was both a blessing and a curse. 

"It has increased pressures on the land in a very big way," said Nixon. 

While there are plans to connect Canmore's transit system to Grassi Lakes and nearby trailheads in 2024, there are currently no public transit options in the rest of the Kananaskis region. The province hasn't announced any transit plans or funding along Highway 40, which is described as the park's backbone. 

"Effectively, a private vehicle is the only way to access what is Alberta's birthright," said Kananaskis Improvement District (KID) councillor Darren Enns. "I think that we have got a transportation issue in Kananaskis right now and I think it's important to get ahead of that."