Y2Y calls for broader land-use dialogue
Crowsnest Pass council heard a call for a broader local conversation on land use, watershed protection and economic resilience during its June 9 regular meeting.
Nicole Olivier, manager of landscape protection with the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, told council the Crowsnest Pass sits in a critical part of the broader Yellowstone to Yukon corridor and has a unique role in balancing development, recreation and conservation.
Olivier said Y2Y is a collaborative organization that works through partnerships across a region stretching from Yellowstone in the United States to the Yukon in northern Canada. Locally, she said the organization is working with about 15 organizations and businesses, has 154 supporters in the Crowsnest region and 6,850 across Alberta.
“Our broad mission is to connect and protect habitat so that both people and nature can thrive,” said Olivier.
She said Y2Y is not opposed to economic development, but believes decisions affecting the Eastern Slopes, headwaters and surrounding landscape need to be made with a broader view of cumulative impacts.
“We firmly believe that when people thrive, nature will thrive,” said Olivier.
Olivier highlighted grizzly bear habitat, wildlife connectivity, watershed protection, forestry, recreation and tourism as issues that intersect in the Crowsnest Pass. She said the municipality is located at one of the narrowest headwater regions and pinch points in the larger Yellowstone to Yukon landscape.
She said land-use decisions in the region are also water decisions because the Crowsnest Pass sits in a narrow headwaters area connected to the broader Oldman River Basin.
“When we make a development decision here, even within the Crowsnest Pass, it has the opportunity to have an impact outside of our region,” said Olivier.
Her presentation also focused on the importance of trails to the identity and economy of the Crowsnest Pass. Using public Strava activity data, Olivier said trail use begins within municipal boundaries and extends far into surrounding areas.
She said the Crowsnest Pass still has enough surrounding space to allow recreation and wildlife to coexist with relatively few conflicts compared to more constrained valley communities such as Sparwood.
“There’s a lot of space for people and animals to share,” said Olivier.
Olivier said Y2Y has recently been working with West Fraser on planned forestry activity in the region and said the process has shown recreation and forestry can work together.
“We recognize that recreation and forestry can work together in solutions,” said Olivier.
She asked council to consider an integrated land management approach involving residents, Indigenous communities, industry, scientists, the province and the municipality. She said workshops or education days could help build trust, transparency and local ownership of future decisions.
“We would like to partner with you to host workshops or education days that bring together these stakeholders, industry, scientists, Indigenous knowledge holders, different levels of government,” said Olivier.
Councillor Doreen Glavin asked about the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan and whether updates could affect the Crowsnest Pass corridor, particularly around Highway 3.
Olivier said the province has indicated there will be further engagement on parks under the regional plan, with $8 million in the provincial budget to implement South Saskatchewan Regional Plan parks between now and 2028. She said Y2Y expects engagement later this year.
She said several areas around the Crowsnest Pass were previously identified for potential park development or expansion, including High Rock Wildland Provincial Park, Livingston Wildland Provincial Park, the Star Creek Falls area, Allison Chinook recreation areas and a Crowsnest Lake Provincial Park area.
Olivier raised concern about the potential highway corridor near Star Creek Falls, saying the area has ecological, recreational and tourism value.
“I think that’s one of the best assets in our region,” said Olivier.