| Three Canmore-based environmental groups are questioning why the province plans to sell land within the town’s municipal boundary to a developer when it’s been zoned as a wildlands conservation area.
The provincial government has given approval in principle to the sale of 11.6 hectares of land, which the Town of Canmore has zoned wildlands conservation (WC), to Banff Gate Mountain Resort, a non-profit corporation that currently owns 46 condominiums on part of the 11.6 hectares. The corporation wants to build 54 more condominiums on the site.
Wildlands conservation zoning is put in place to "designate areas for the protection, conservation and enhancement of the environment." The only permitted uses within such zoning areas are wildlife corridors, wildlife habitat, emergency municipal road access, environmental education, habitat enhancement, public utilities access, scientific research and trails for non-motorized use. Banff Gate Mountain Resort’s current 46 condominiums were built before the area was designated a wildlands conservation zone, so they were permitted to stay. However, new condos wouldn’t be allowed under current zoning.
"Obviously you don’t buy land unless you’re planning to expand," says Heather MacFadyen, who is on the steering committee of the Bow Corridor Organization for Responsible Development (BCORD). BCORD, along with Defenders of Wildlife Canada and the Bow Valley Naturalists, have written a letter to the provincial government protesting the sale. "The concern is the province knows it’s zoned wildlands conservation. They know it’s to protect the area corridor and habitat. Why would they sell this land to a private developer?"
The Town of Canmore has also sent two letters to the provincial government opposing the sale. MacFadyen says the province’s consultation process leaves something to be desired. "All one can say is the province isn’t listening and if they’re serious about getting input on land use then they will withdraw their approval from the sale of this land. They’ve heard from (Canmore Town Council) this is an area that’s protected," she says.
Canmore Mayor Ron Casey says the town doesn’t want to see any additional development on the site because the province hasn’t legally designated wildlife corridors in the immediate area. "Until (wildlife corridors are designated) the town has taken the position that any development there would be premature, and council saw the sale of the land as being tied to that. They said we don’t want any change of ownership until the wildlife corridor work has been absolutely completed," he says.
Casey says wildlands conservation zones are usually not developed. "Wildlands conservation is really an identification that the land is environmentally sensitive. We have been really reluctant, in fact, I don’t know if we have ever rezoned anything from WC."
However, Casey is more optimistic than MacFadyen with the consultation process. He says Ted Morton, Minister of Sustainable Resource Development, has called him to discuss the town’s concerns. He says consultation has improved since the 1990s when the provincial government didn’t notify municipalities if it leased or sold land within municipal boundaries.
Banff Gate Mountain Resort currently has a lease that covers 84 acres of Crown land. The corporation originally wanted to buy all 33.6 hectares from the province. However, the province rejected their application. The corporation then applied to buy 11.6 hectares and agreed to give up its lease on the rest of the Crown land. Eilish Lemieux, spokesperson for Sustainable Resource Development, says that the 21.6 hectares will become part of a Wind Valley wildlife corridor.
Lemieux says the parcel of land "is already an intensive residential and recreational site, and it has been for the last 30 to 40 years. The land itself doesn’t really have significant public or environmental benefits."
Terry MacDougall, Banff Gate Mountain Resort president wants to buy the land and build 54 additional condos in order to make the property financially sustainable. He says the non-profit corporation has 1,320 members, most of which live in Alberta.
"We don’t feel we’ve achieved the economies of scale yet to make the resort financially viable," says MacDougall. He says members want to see additional condo units, but also want the site to remain "rustic." He adds, "I think we’ve demonstrated we’re good stewards of the land and we’re prepared to surrender 20 acres (for the wildlife corridor)," he says. |
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