Scott Hayes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | [email protected]
The Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce started off the new year with special guests from Parks Canada and ATCO during their breakfast meeting on Jan. 11.
Supt. Alan Fehr started his talk by saying it had been a long time with much transpiring since his last face-to-face meeting with the Chamber.
鈥淲hen I first came here, there was a bunch of things that started hitting the fan: mountain pine beetle and increasing fire risk and caribou issues, Whistler campground, then we stopped paying our staff properly through that program called the Phoenix program, which I'd said at the time was probably the worst thing that ever happened to me as a superintendent. Don't pay your staff accurately or on time, or ever, or pay them too much, and then take it all back in one fell swoop,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 said, 鈥極kay, well, that's enough. I think Jasper has given me enough. I'm happy with those challenges.鈥� And then the pandemic hit. Anyways, it's been quite a challenging, very interesting time for me in Jasper.鈥�
With all of those challenges, Fehr elaborated that there is perhaps one issue that is more in need of being highlighted if only for the fact that it touches every aspect of life and work in Jasper National Park: infrastructure.
鈥淭his is something I raise often when people have asked me, 鈥榃hat can we do to help you?鈥� The main thing I tell people is you can advocate on behalf of our infrastructure needs because that is something that's fundamental to our delivery of all our programs. Infrastructure is fundamental to everything that we do: our bridges, roads, trails, campgrounds, wastewater, water, all that kind of thing.鈥�
Traditionally, he continued, Parks Canada is more reactive to how it manages its infrastructure, rather than being proactive.
The agency is now immersed in a process to change its funding formula where it can access funds 鈥渋n a more predictable fashion.鈥�
For reference, Fehr spoke of the large funding injection from the Federal Investment Program where Jasper received more than $200 million in 2015. As helpful as that was in order to complete a number of projects, he said that it鈥檚 much different than being able to plan work ahead, project by project.
鈥淭hat's a big challenge for the agency. That's where we're putting a lot of our energy right now: how we change our funding formula for infrastructure.鈥�
Fehr鈥檚 wide-ranging talk offered quick notes of Parks Canada鈥檚 recently-renewed management plan and Jasper鈥檚 proposed caribou breeding facility, the latter of which will see a final decision being announced in the coming weeks.
Private home accommodation was another topic on his speaking agenda, as several related issues 鈥� such as the building code and neighbourhood integrity 鈥� remain high on his interest list.
Last year, Parks issued a proposed amendment package to Jasper鈥檚 land use regulations that was opposed by many. Soon afterward, Parks withdrew the proposal, although it seems to have gone back to the drawing board.
Another proposal is being set up, and feedback from the public is being sought by Jan. 31. A notice of the proposed policy changes is available at . Feedback can be emailed to [email protected]. A Planning and Development Advisory Committee public hearing is scheduled for March 16.
Infrastructure was the subtext for the last topic of his talk, when he spent a few minutes discussing the Icefields Parkway and how he personally feels when it needs to be closed because of the unavoidable risks that come with that passageway.
鈥淏elieve me, the last thing I want to do is shut down the Icefields Parkway. I have enough things that come across my desk without having to deal with unhappy travelers and businesses and so on. We do not close the parkway unless we absolutely feel we need to,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 just want to remind people that the threat of avalanche on that highway is real.鈥�
After his talk and a few minutes of Q-and-A with the audience, ATCO team members took the microphone to recap their work during the progression of the Chetamon wildfire. It was much the same presentation that they gave the day before to Jasper municipal council, though it came with its own Q-and-A session for the Chamber audience.
Much of that session focused on the recent transition from the Palisades Power Plant to interconnecting with the Alberta power grid. Some questioned whether hindsight had ATCO changing its mind about a backup power plant or even if the utility provided could have been done to prevent the fire damage to 11 out of 180 power transmission structures.
ATCO鈥檚 responses were unwavering. A backup power plant was considered to be too expensive while the power poles, with their resilient line design, actually performed better than expected.
鈥淲e stand behind the [Alberta] Utilities Commission and the decisions they make,鈥� said Amanda Mattern, ATCO鈥檚 incident commander during the wildfire.
