This release was issued under a previous government.

The Government of Alberta has proposed a mix of parks and public lands in the Bighorn region that would preserve natural landscapes while creating new opportunities for economic development, tourism and recreation in the region.

In order to gather feedback from the public on the proposal, a telephone town hall will be held:

Thursday, Jan. 24
Edmonton and surrounding area
6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

To participate, dial 1-877-229-8493 and enter code 115500#. Participants can also listen and ask questions online at vekeo.com/youralberta.

Government engagement has already reached more than 30,000 people, as well as municipalities, recreation groups, small businesses and industrial operators.

People can continue to review the proposal and provide feedback online by visiting talkaep.alberta.ca. The deadline for submitting feedback is Feb. 15.

Quick facts

  • Bighorn Country includes public lands from the boundary of Banff National Park eastward towards Drayton Valley. It includes Clearwater County, most of Brazeau County and the current Bighorn Backcountry management area.
  • The Bighorn region is recognized for its scenic beauty and natural diversity. It includes scenic mountains and foothills, rare plants and key habitat for numerous species at risk such as grizzly bear, wolverine, harlequin duck, Athabasca rainbow trout and bull trout.
  • The headwaters of the North Saskatchewan River and Red Deer River are located within Bighorn Country, providing clean drinking water to more than one million Albertans.
  • Sharing this busy landscape is a wide variety of recreation and tourism activities. Hunting and fishing are popular, as well as camping, hiking, off-highway vehicle use, horseback riding, ice climbing and cross-country skiing.
  • The Bighorn Country proposal includes new, expanded or amended parks, protected areas and public land use zones. This system of public lands is intended to provide a range of opportunities that suits the settings and demands of the region.
  • The proposal means no significant change to recreation activities, but offers $40 million in new investment to improve services and infrastructure such as campsites, parking lots, trails and staging areas.
  • The proposal supports continued practice of traditional uses and the exercise of treaty rights by Indigenous Peoples.