Alberta's NDP says the UCP provincial government is spending millions of dollars of taxpayers money to hire a private security firm to enforce the payment of their $90 Kananaskis Country pass..“Remember when you’re forced to pay for your fee, while the UCP enjoys a $13-billion surplus, they are charging you $90 to pay someone to make sure you paid your $90,” NDP Critic for Environment and Parks Marlin Schmidt said..“It’s absurd.”.In an invoice released through a Freedom of Information Act request to the NDP, Alberta Environment and Parks paid Global Traffic Group $166,666.67 for one month of “enforcement and monitoring of compliance with the Kananaskis Conservation Pass.”. FOIP documentFOIP document .“Like many Albertans, I oppose the UCP charging people to use Kananaskis Country,” Schmidt said..“Albertans own that beautiful and distinctly Albertan space and we should all be able to use it freely. It’s even more galling that the money the UCP is taking from Alberta families is not being used to conserve this area. I’ve heard from many Albertans that they don’t see this money being put to good use in protecting the park land.”.Alberta’s NDP says it is committed to abolishing the fee if they form the next government..“This is a good moment for Minister Issik to admit that this has all been a terrible mistake and abolish the fee altogether,” Schmidt said..“But like most Albertans, I don’t have much confidence in the UCP’s ability to recognize and correct their own mistakes.".“An Alberta NDP government will abolish this absurd fee, leave those $90 in your pocket, and turn Pay-Country back into K-Country.".Alberta’s government says it is committed to conserving the future of Kananaskis Country.."The Kananaskis Conservation Pass is intended to be a more sustainable way of supporting the region," Environment and Parks Senior Press Secretary Rob Williams told the Western Standard..According to Williams, before the introduction of the pass, Albertans subsidized 75% of operational costs in the region, leaving less money for other parks across the province. With the pass now in place, Albertans fund 25% of K-Country’s operational expenses, which frees up more money to support all of Alberta's provincial parks.."In its first fiscal year (June 1, 2022 to March 31, 2022), the Kananaskis Conservation Pass generated $12 million. We are anticipating up to $15 million in revenues this year. So far this year more than 146,000 passes have been sold, generating more than $7.1 million," Williams said.."We have partnered with St. Albert’s Global Traffic Group for enforcement services. Our three-year contract is worth $2 million per year, representing just 13% of anticipated pass revenues. The remaining 87% directly supports conservation, outdoor recreation and public safety in the region.".He said 74% of license plates scanned so far this year have been compliant.."Our approach is cost-effective, fair and efficient. Alternatives like establishing monitored gates or toll roads would require millions in capital investment at multiple sites throughout the region, plus staffing costs," Williams said.
Alberta's NDP says the UCP provincial government is spending millions of dollars of taxpayers money to hire a private security firm to enforce the payment of their $90 Kananaskis Country pass..“Remember when you’re forced to pay for your fee, while the UCP enjoys a $13-billion surplus, they are charging you $90 to pay someone to make sure you paid your $90,” NDP Critic for Environment and Parks Marlin Schmidt said..“It’s absurd.”.In an invoice released through a Freedom of Information Act request to the NDP, Alberta Environment and Parks paid Global Traffic Group $166,666.67 for one month of “enforcement and monitoring of compliance with the Kananaskis Conservation Pass.”. FOIP documentFOIP document .“Like many Albertans, I oppose the UCP charging people to use Kananaskis Country,” Schmidt said..“Albertans own that beautiful and distinctly Albertan space and we should all be able to use it freely. It’s even more galling that the money the UCP is taking from Alberta families is not being used to conserve this area. I’ve heard from many Albertans that they don’t see this money being put to good use in protecting the park land.”.Alberta’s NDP says it is committed to abolishing the fee if they form the next government..“This is a good moment for Minister Issik to admit that this has all been a terrible mistake and abolish the fee altogether,” Schmidt said..“But like most Albertans, I don’t have much confidence in the UCP’s ability to recognize and correct their own mistakes.".“An Alberta NDP government will abolish this absurd fee, leave those $90 in your pocket, and turn Pay-Country back into K-Country.".Alberta’s government says it is committed to conserving the future of Kananaskis Country.."The Kananaskis Conservation Pass is intended to be a more sustainable way of supporting the region," Environment and Parks Senior Press Secretary Rob Williams told the Western Standard..According to Williams, before the introduction of the pass, Albertans subsidized 75% of operational costs in the region, leaving less money for other parks across the province. With the pass now in place, Albertans fund 25% of K-Country’s operational expenses, which frees up more money to support all of Alberta's provincial parks.."In its first fiscal year (June 1, 2022 to March 31, 2022), the Kananaskis Conservation Pass generated $12 million. We are anticipating up to $15 million in revenues this year. So far this year more than 146,000 passes have been sold, generating more than $7.1 million," Williams said.."We have partnered with St. Albert’s Global Traffic Group for enforcement services. Our three-year contract is worth $2 million per year, representing just 13% of anticipated pass revenues. The remaining 87% directly supports conservation, outdoor recreation and public safety in the region.".He said 74% of license plates scanned so far this year have been compliant.."Our approach is cost-effective, fair and efficient. Alternatives like establishing monitored gates or toll roads would require millions in capital investment at multiple sites throughout the region, plus staffing costs," Williams said.
