Kananaskis Conservation Pass

An exemption means an individual or group is not required to purchase the Kananaskis Conservation Pass for their vehicle(s).

The focus for enforcement initially will be on education. Exempted users will be able to apply and receive their exemption before fines are issued.

How to apply

• Residents, businesses and organizations who are eligible for an exemption, sign up online to receive further information about how to apply for an exemption by email.
• Low income Albertans who qualify for an exemption can request a free day or multi-day pass at any of the in-person purchase locations.
• Engagement is occurring with First Nations to determine how to best administer the First Nations exemption.

Eligible groups

You may be eligible for an exemption if you are a(n):

• First Nations person with Status
• Albertan with low-income participating in a provincial support program
• Resident of Kananaskis Improvement District
• Facility operator agreement holder
• Business or organization conducting approved activities under a government-issued authorization (for example, contract, disposition, permit)
• Provincial or municipal employee commuting to the work site or utilizing a fleet vehicle
• Volunteer who has met specified criteria for a rebate

For more details regarding eligibility, review the information in the sections below.

• Status Indians as defined under the Federal Indian Act qualify for an exemption and do not need to purchase a pass. This applies to your vehicle(s) or the vehicle(s) you are travelling in. This also includes trailers or towed vehicles. Annual and/or multi-year passes will be available.
• Engagement is occurring with First Nations to determine how best to administer the exemption, and more information about how to get an exemption will be provided once this process is complete.
• Generally, you will be asked to provide your Indian Status Card number to verify eligibility, and the licence plates of your vehicles or the vehicles you are travelling in will be registered in the compliance system. This means that if your plate is scanned in the Kananaskis Conservation Pass area, it will be noted as exempt.
• You do not need to show or carry proof of exemption; in other words, no physical pass or hangtag.

• Recipients of Assured Income for Severely Handicapped (AISH), Income Support (IS), and the Alberta Health Benefits (AHB) programs qualify for an exemption and do not need to purchase a pass.
• You can request a free low-income day pass or multi-day pass for your vehicle or the vehicle you are travelling in at any of the in-person purchase locations (download the map):
  • Canmore Nordic Centre Day Lodge
  • Elbow Valley Visitor Information Centre (not yet wheelchair accessible; accessibility upgrades are underway)
  • Kananaskis Visitor Information Centre at Barrier Lake
  • Peter Lougheed Park Discovery and Information Centre
• You will be asked to show your Government-issued identification that you received to participate in each of the support programs (benefit card) as proof of eligibility.
• Annual passes are not available for the low-income exemption
• Free days for all visitors are being offered periodically to support access for Albertans with low-income.

• Kananaskis Improvement District residents whose PO Box is at the Canada Post in Kananaskis Village Centre qualify for an exemption and do not need to purchase a pass.
• This exemption is only available to these residents because this is a public parking area and licence plates will be scanned for compliance. Licence plate scanning will not occur at staff residences or other private areas that are not available to the general public.
• Vehicles of cottage owners and private landowners are not exempt, as there will be no licence plate scanning for compliance done on private lands.
• When applying for an exemption, you will be asked to provide the name of your employer, residence location, PO Box, licence plate, as well as employment term (permanent or seasonal).
• One vehicle per resident is eligible for an exemption. 

• Work/fleet vehicles utilized for the primary purpose of conducting business under a Facility Operating Agreement (FOA) are exempt.
• Employee/sub-contractor vehicles utilized for the primary purpose of conducting facility operator duties in public parking areas where licence plates will be scanned (day use, roadside, and campgrounds) do qualify for an exemption. These licence plates will be collected and submitted by the FOA holder within their application.
• Generally, FOAs will be asked to provide their business contact, government contact, and the licence plates of fleet vehicles, sub-contractors and any eligible employee vehicles.

• Work or fleet vehicles used for the primary purpose of conducting approved business with the Government of Alberta or Kananaskis Improvement District qualify for an exemption, provided that accessing public parking areas is required to conduct the work. This will be assessed upon application.
• Approved business types:
  • Commercial contract holders, including supply, utility, water, construction, and road maintenance contractors
  • Industrial disposition holders
  • Recreation and tourism disposition holders, including commercial and not-for-profit
  • Research and collection permit holders
  • Grazing allotment permit holders
  • Professional outfitters
  • Guiding and instructing permit holders
  • Trapline holder (RFMA)
• Public parking areas include day-use areas, campgrounds, and roadside. Licence plate scanning for compliance will only occur in public parking areas.
• There is no need to apply for an exemption for carrying out activities at non-publicly accessible sites where licence plate scanning will not occur.
  • This includes areas that are not available or open to the general public including construction sites, maintenance and utility servicing areas, grazing corrals, timber harvesting staging areas, industrial disposition sites with no public access (for example, well sites), non-public recreation leases (for example, children’s camps, research stations, and the Homestead Shooting Facility at Sibbald Flats) and any areas that have designated staff/contractor parking.
  • Vehicles in these non-public areas do not qualify for an exemption, as their licence plates will not be scanned at these sites.
• Vehicles of employees and subcontractors are eligible to receive an exemption if their licence plate is collected and provided by the authorization holder and providing those employees are required to park in a public parking area for work purposes, they do not already qualify for an exemption as a resident, and there is not designated staff parking available.
• Generally, applicants will be asked to provide their business information, authorization type and reference, Government contact, and the licence plates of fleet vehicles, sub-contractors and any eligible employee vehicles, up to a specified number of vehicles.

• Work/fleet vehicles and employee personal vehicles for commuting to the worksite used for the primary purpose of conducting provincial or municipal work qualify for an exemption, provided that accessing and parking in public areas is required.
• Public parking areas include day use areas, campgrounds, and roadside. Licence plate scanning for compliance will only occur in public parking areas.
• There is no need for an exemption for regular duties carried out at non-publicly accessible sites or where employees park within a designated staff parking area where licence plate scanning will not occur.
  • This includes areas that are not available or open to the general public including Kananaskis Emergency Services Centre, staff accommodation and residences, designated staff parking areas, administration and maintenance areas, fire bases, and field visits to industrials sites or other non-public areas.
• Eligible provincial and municipal vehicles:
  • Government of Alberta fleet vehicles operating in the Kananaskis Conservation Pass area.
  • Personal vehicles of Government of Alberta employees whose place of work requires commuting to and parking in a public parking area with no designated staff parking.
  • Personal vehicles of KID commuting employees and councillors whose place of work requires parking in a public parking area with no designated staff parking.
  • Municipal fleet/work vehicles of emergency services including fire, AHS, EMS, and RCMP.
• An internal submission process is in development and information about how and when to apply will be shared once available.

• Department volunteers or those who volunteer under a formal partnership agreement (for example, Cooperating Societies) may be eligible for a rebate on an annual pass.
  • This would apply to volunteers after they have performed 40+ hours of service per year or in exceptional volunteer circumstances as authorized by the department.
  • This rebate also applies to co-operating society employees (full-time, paid) whose primary work-site is within the Kananaskis Conservation Pass area, and they are required to park in a public parking area.
• More information about this rebate will be provided once it is available.
• If you think you may qualify for a volunteer rebate, please retain your payment receipt. A process to submit for rebates is in development, and information will be shared once available.