Should You Pay Fees to Camp on Alberta's Crown Land?
Official title: Sustainable outdoor recreation engagement
Why This Matters
Love camping in Alberta's backcountry? This affects you directly. The province introduced fees for random camping along the Rocky Mountain foothills. If you camp on public land, you now need a pass.
What Could Change
Bill 64 was introduced to allow the government to collect recreation fees on public lands. A Public Lands Camping Pass is now required for random camping along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains. Fee revenue goes toward maintaining trails, campsites, and protecting the land.
Key Issues
- Should outdoor recreationists pay fees to help maintain Crown land?
- How can partnerships be strengthened to provide better recreation experiences?
- How should Crown land policies be updated to reflect multiple uses?
How to Participate
- This consultation is now closed. Feedback was collected through an online survey and idea submissions from November 26, 2020 to January 15, 2021.
What Happened
Two-thirds of survey respondents supported or were neutral about paying fees to maintain Crown land used for recreation. The feedback led to Bill 64, the Public Lands Amendment Act, which was introduced on April 12, 2021 to allow government to collect recreation fees. A Public Lands Camping Pass was implemented for random camping along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.