Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society

Edmonton/Calgary – CPAWS Northern and Southern Alberta chapters are deeply concerned over the fate of parks and conservation in Alberta after budget announcements on Thursday. The budget of Fall 2019 saw a substantial 9.7% cut to the Alberta Parks budget, and this additional 10% cut in the 2020 budget will further degrade the ability of Alberta Parks to properly manage the areas designated to protect Alberta’s natural heritage. Read more about CPAWS concerned with cuts to parks and protected areas in Alberta’s 2020 budget

Calgary – Brad Clute, a lifelong Albertan and nationally known environmental leader, has been appointed Executive Director of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Southern Alberta Chapter, the Board of Directors announced today.

Clute joins CPAWS-SAB after a long and successful career with Mountain Equipment Coop and two decades of activity in the environmental community. He was Regional Community Investment Specialist, Western Canada, for MEC for seven years and most recently Regional Human Resources Business Manager. Read more about CPAWS SAB appoints Brad Clute as new Executive Director

EDMONTON – A Joint Review Panel recommends approval of Teck’s Frontier Oil Sands Mine project, despite acknowledgments of a long list of adverse environmental impacts, including high risks to wildlife that use the area 

In the same month that the UN warns Canada of swift action required to stop the degradation of Wood Buffalo National Park, a massive 290 sq-km open-pit oil sands mine project has been recommended for approval, which would place it just 30-km south of the Park’s borders. The project would be the largest of its kind in Alberta. The provincial-federal Joint Review Panel found the project to be in the public’s interest, despite the findings that it,

[…] is likely to result in significant adverse environmental effects to wetlands, old-growth forests, wetland- and old-growth-reliant species at risk, the Ronald Lake bison herd, and biodiversity.” And “likely to result in significant adverse effects to the asserted rights, use of lands and resources, and culture of indigenous groups who use the project area. The proposed mitigation measures have not been proven to be effective or to fully mitigate project effects on the environment or on indigenous rights, use of lands and resources, and culture.” Read more about Panel recommends approval of Teck’s Frontier Oil Sands Mine project, just 30-km south of Wood Buffalo National Park