Beating the oil patch bust at Banff National Park

Once known for its stunning mountain scenery and wide open plains, in recent decades the Province of Alberta has become synonymous with the ebb and flow of a resource-based economy built around the Athabasca tar sands. Despite the best efforts (and lots of public funds) of both the Alberta and Canadian governments to scrub the tar sands' negative image, the industry has seriously eroded Canada's credentials as a country committed to environmental protection.

From this perspective the collapse in oil prices over the past year may yet prove to be a blessing in disguise for the province - and the country. At a concrete level, the boom-bust cycle of the extractive sector is making the steady-as-she-goes business model of Banff National Park look all the more attractive.

Banff is one seven parks in Alberta which together constitute the Canadian Rocky Mountains Parks world heritage site. Established in 1885, it is Canada's first national park and the third world-wide. By emphasizing sustainably-paced development that balances conservation with measured infrastructure enhancements, Banff National Park has retained its reputation for providing visitors with a memorable outdoors experience while introducing new or enhanced attractions (e.g. the installation of a via ferrata on Mount Norquay) in a measured way that continues to build visitor numbers.

Banff townsite (credit: Borbrav)

As noted by Toronto's Globe and Mail newspaper this week, almost four million visitors are expected in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016, up 7.5 percent over the percent and up a further 10 percent over the year before. While the focus on increasing visitor numbers has provoked concern from some quarters in the environmentalist community, the approach being adopted nonetheless demonstrates a sensitivity to the various interests at stake, including protection of the natural environment. Authorities responsible for certain other world heritage sites would do well to take notice.