History and Context:

The “Specialized Municipality of Jasper” is the local government body delivering most community services within the Town of Jasper, as well as limited emergency services in a larger rural area outside the town boundaries.

The Agreement for the Establishment of Local Government in the Town of Jasper was signed in 2001. Through it, the Municipality has all the powers of a “town” as defined in the Alberta Municipal Government Act, except for those related to land use planning and development, annexation, and the environment.

These services are administered by Parks Canada under the Canada National Parks Act and regulations. In terms of land use planning and development, some of these responsibilities include community planning, zoning, permit approvals, subdivision of land approvals, variances, review and appeals, compliance and enforcement, and fees.

In July 2022, the Municipality of Jasper sent a formal request to Parks Canada to consider expanding the services delivered by the Municipality within the townsite to include land use planning and development. Since that time, Parks Canada and the Municipality have been discussing approaches to sharing responsibilities through an intergovernmental committee. The Government of Canada made it a legislative priority for the fall Parliamentary session, following the devastating fire in July. Public and Indigenous consultations were held in early 2023 and a What We Heard Report published in October 2023.

Proposed Amendments and Next Steps:

The purpose of the Bill is to enable the transfer of land use planning and development authorities from Parks Canada to the Municipality of Jasper.

Currently, the Canada National Parks Act prevents local townsite governments (with the exception of Banff) from exercising land use planning and development authorities.

The legislation would remove barriers in the Canada National Parks Act that currently prevent the Municipality of Jasper from exercising land use planning and development authorities.

The legislation would not transfer these authorities to the Municipality of Jasper immediately. Instead, the legislation would provide an exemption to the Municipality of Jasper under the Canada National Parks Act that currently restricts local townsite governments from exercising these land use planning and development authorities. This would allow the Municipality of Jasper to eventually exercise land use planning and development authorities.

Before the Municipality of Jasper could fully assume authorities for land use planning and development, it would also be required to amend its local government agreement with the consent of the provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs.

The legislation to amend the Canada National Parks Act would affirm Parks Canada’s commitment to working with the Municipality of Jasper to transfer these authorities, ensuring that important decision-making in Jasper sits with the municipality and its residents.

Once the bill receives Royal assent, the Municipality of Jasper and Parks Canada will develop a new local government agreement for the Municipality of Jasper that addresses land use planning and will work together to ensure an orderly transition for this important function.

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