Should Bighorn Country Become a Protected Wildland Park?

Official title: Bighorn Country proposal engagement

Closed Community Planning Environment & Climate Natural Resources
In 2018, Alberta proposed creating a new Wildland Provincial Park in the Bighorn Country region west of Edmonton. The plan would have expanded parks, recreation areas, and public land use zones from Banff's border to Drayton Valley. The goal? Protect headwaters and wildlife habitat while boosting outdoor recreation and tourism. The engagement process was stopped in spring 2019 to allow for a renewed approach to land use planning.

Why This Matters

Love hiking, camping, or ATVing in Alberta's backcountry? This proposal would have changed how you access and use public lands near Banff. Ranchers, outfitters, and local businesses had a stake too. The region's headwaters feed the North Saskatchewan River, which supplies drinking water to Edmonton and surrounding communities.

What Could Change

The proposal would have created a new Bighorn Wildland Provincial Park and expanded several existing parks and recreation areas. New Public Land Use Zones would have set rules for motorized recreation, camping, and resource extraction. The engagement was paused in 2019, so no final decisions were made.

Key Issues

  • Should new protected areas be created to conserve headwaters and biodiversity?
  • How should motorized and non-motorized recreation be managed in the region?
  • What land designations would best support tourism while protecting the environment?

How to Participate

  1. Review the Bighorn Country Proposal to understand what was proposed.
  2. Read the FAQ and Glossary for background information.

What Happened

The engagement ran from November 2018 to February 2019. Feedback was reviewed in February 2019, but the engagement process was stopped in spring 2019 to enable a renewed approach to land use planning. No final decision was made on the proposal.

Key Documents