Should Parks Canada Expand the 8-Mile Gravel Pit in Jasper National Park?
Official title: Parks Canada 8-Mile Pit Expansion and Aggregate Extraction
Parks Canada wants to expand a gravel pit in Jasper National Park by about 6 hectares. Why? The 2024 Jasper Wildfire created urgent demand for gravel and asphalt to rebuild roads and prepare temporary housing sites. The expansion would involve clearing vegetation, extracting aggregate, and eventually restoring the site.
Why This Matters
Live in or visit Jasper? This pit expansion is part of rebuilding after the devastating 2024 wildfire. The gravel will help repair roads and build temporary housing for displaced residents. But it also means clearing 6 hectares of land inside a national park.
What Could Change
If approved, Parks Canada would clear about 6 hectares of vegetation for gravel extraction starting spring 2025. The site would eventually be reclaimed, but the expansion would increase the pit's footprint within the national park.
Key Issues
- Should vegetation be cleared in a national park to support wildfire recovery?
- What environmental impacts will the pit expansion have on the park ecosystem?
- How will the site be reclaimed after aggregate extraction is complete?
Indigenous Consultation
This consultation requires engagement with Indigenous communities under the Crown's duty to consult.